Saturday, August 28, 2004

It Takes Real Courage to Desert Your Post and Then Attack a Wounded Vet

Read this very awesome open letter
"When you're big in Tehran"

School's been so busy that I haven't been able to post. I went to the Metro Mustangs meeting yesterday. I'm running for Vice-President, so vote for me! My web class starts Monday, but I have to read all 400+ pages of Emile Zola's Germinal for Wednesday. Ain't life grand? I never had such a demand made of me in an English course, who would think it would happen in a CF/History course? The Olympics is drawing to a close, and I'm sad. I loved the sense of unity I felt with the world and the inspiration to be the best and achieve my dreams. I'll get a DVD of it, if it comes out. I know they've already released the gymnastics on DVD. We're finishing up the Canterbury Tales in Brit Lit 1. Thank God, I hate Chaucer. Such a waste of time. I'm not working next week, so hopefully I can use the extra 10 hours to play catch-up...or sleep.

Friday, August 27, 2004

What's the best fall fashion trend for you?

Bows

Your style couldn't get much sweeter. You enjoy looking feminine, so girly dresses, blouses, skirts, and accessories are your favorite pieces. Be on the look out for embellished versions of your favorite things this fall—camisoles, cardigans, belts, necklaces, and shoes will all be adorned with bows. Try buying ribbon at a fabric store and tying it around the waist of your sweater or jacket, and match the trend with pretty floral pieces or decorative brooches and pins.

You might also like Winter Floral.

This result courtesty of Seventeen.com.

Saturday, August 21, 2004

Congrats, Phelpsie!!

Congratulations to Michael Phelps on winning 6 gold medals in Athens!! He is definitely the greatest Olympian, in my humble opinion. I love this guy!! What other playa would be smart enough to know that he could let a rival swim in a relay in his place while he sits in the stands and gets a medal without swimming the actual race? Man, that's my boy!! With every race, he inspires me to be the best and never give up in my own race to fulfill my dreams. Plus, he's from Baltimore, home of the greatest medical school in the world, Johns Hopkins. On my way to work in the mornings, I pass this billboard on the Tollway that features him in an ad for Omega watches. It just gives me such a boost as if my job is a prelimary race for the final that's up ahead. Gosh, he's just such an inspiration. I feel like watching him race has changed my life. He's so humble, cute, fit, kind, determined, and a team player. Congratulations, Phelpsie, you've made me proud!!

Jamie Kennedy's SMU Experiment

After classes yesterday, I had lunch with some friends and head back home. I relaxed until around 4:30 when I grabbed my sis and we head back to SMU. I swung by the bookstore and picked up an essay, a book, and a course pack. The course pack was $40!! I'm gonna just photocopy all of it and return it. That's way too much. We got to SMU at 5:30, but found out they weren't gonna do the Taste Dallas carnival until after Jamie's show. So we head over to Snyder Plaza to find food, but there wouldn't have been enough time to sit down at a restaurant since the show started at 6:30. We came back to SMU (and a better parking spot) and had some Chick-fil-a. Then we went to the show and sat with Ric.

The opening act came out first. He was this very large man who was not very funny. He basically got booed off the stage and people kept yelling, "You're not funny, put on Jamie!!" Then Jamie came on. Everyone got excited. The first half of his show was really rolling-on-the-ground funny. But then the second half came. See, I go to a pretty conservative school, and the second half was all sex jokes...graphic sex jokes. Nobody laughed. It was dead silent. The worst part was when he brought out this rapper and together they wrapped about the greatest of the "left tit." And then he told all the ladies to get up and shake their left tits. Everyone looked around to see who would get up and no one did. So then Jamie kind of made the "cut it out" motion with his hand and said good night and left. I think he should have checked out his audience first and just kept making jokes like his first half.

Afterwards, we went to the Taste Dallas Carnival. Everyone was scrambling for free T-shirts. I grabbed one and a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich. I missed Maggiano's Tiramisu, but I got to try a lemon cookie. The response to the pizza from Cafe Nostra was amazing too. Kiss FM was there but weren't gonna give away anything for a while except for Napolean Dynamite posters and chips. We head back home at 8:30 happy and satisfied. It's not often that we get to do things alone together, and luckily this night was worth the trip.

Thursday, August 19, 2004

First Day

So my first day of school went pretty well. I went to work and got out at 11:30. When I got to school, it was raining and I had no umbrella. Yeah, didn't look so cool right then. When I got in the lounge I was so happy to see all my friends. Then I got really happy because now are school has a Subway!! The only downside is they got rid of the Pizzeria (they had great pasta) and the deli (they had great panini). So now my options are Subway or Chick-fil-a. Ah, sweet capitalism. I got a couple, "wow Maryam you look really different" type comments throughout the day, which was kinda cool.

My first class, Victorian Genders, was interesting. The professor had sent out an email telling everyone to bring the course pack to class for discussion. The thing is the bookstore doesn't carry it. So she asked, how many of you don't have the course pack? and everyone raised their hand. It was really funny.

So we got out of class 20 min. early. Then I went threading with my new found time and head home for a 15 min break. Then I head to UTD for my physics lab. The lab is taught by a TA, not a professor, which is new for me. He seems nice.

The coolest thing was that I went in thinking that I wouldn't know anyone in there, but I did know someone. This one girl from my high school who's half-Persian half-American. I was talking to my mom on the cell phone and she turned a corner and said, "I thought I heard someone speaking Farsi." She just transfered to UTD from UT and her older sister just started Baylor Med after graduating from MIT. I was like, thank God I have a good lab partner. She's good at math, so that's good for me. Hopefully tomorrow will be just as good as today...and no more rain!

Wednesday, August 18, 2004

JKX

Oh my gosh! Jamie Kennedy is coming to my school Friday night. I am so there!!! I think I'll bring my sister. This is gonna be outtasite!!

In other news, I gota haircut today. It's pretty much just a clean up of the last one I got. I also found out that I have Physics lab tomorrow after all, so my schedule tomorrow will be like this:

6:45-11:30 work at the hospital
12:30-2 pm English at SMU
4-7 pm Physics lab at UTD

Quelle Excitee, n'est-ce pas? My English teacher already emailed me the syllabus. Ah, good times are to be had by all. Enjoy the last day of summer, ya'll and I'll see you in school tomorrow.

Monday, August 16, 2004

Let's Get Ready to Tumble

I haven't blogged in a while because I've been glued to the Olympics and working since the games began. Today's been my first day off work in 7 days, and I spent it at Baylor where my mom was having surgery. We're home now and she's ok, but it was a long procedure. The thing I like most about the Olympics is that it inspires me to be the best and really focus on perfection. That Michael Phelps, he sure is something. I also like how the Olympics let's us forget about politics, well it did until the Iranians got involved. See, the reigning judo world champion is an Iranian; he was actually the flag-bearer at the Opening Ceremonies. When it came out that he would have to compete against an Israeli in the Olympics, the Iranian government said it was against their policy for any of its athletes to compete with "Zionists." So they forced him to gain weight so that he would be disqualified at the weigh-in. It was either that or publicly pull out so he chose the quieter path. (The same thing happened with the Morrocco soccer team at the 1968 Olympics). The thing is, even the Israeli team agreed that he was a better judo-er and would most likely have won gold. The Israeli publicist went on to say how he feels sorry for the poor guy cuz now he's lost that chance. I do too. I think that kind of behavior goes completely against what the Olympics stands for: putting aside political differences for 2 1/2 weeks and focusing on things that nations have in common, like athletic prowess.

Friday, August 13, 2004

Should you date your guy friend?

Think about it

Take more time to figure out what's up with your guy friend—it's unclear whether he wants to stay just friends or if he wants more. If you're not ready to have an honest discussion about your relationship potential, flirt with him and see how he responds. Go out of your way to spend extra time with him and let him know you want him around—if he has feelings for you, it will make him more comfortable showing them. If he seems reluctant or turns down your attempts to get closer, you know you're meant to be friends.

Are you too nice?

Nice Enough

You're approachable and friendly without coming across as a pushover, which will win you respect and make people feel comfortable around you. You know when to be polite, but when someone upsets you, you're not afraid to stand up for yourself—a true friend would never hold that against you. There is such a thing as being too nice, and you're great at judging where to draw the line.


Wednesday, August 11, 2004

Kerry unveils one-point plan for better America
I've been training 2 girls at work all week. They're doing a great job; I'm very proud of them. I like having protegees. My professor for the A&P web class I'm taking at CCCC emailed me last night that she updated her website. I checked out the assignment requirements and they sound pretty doable with my schedule.

Sunday, August 08, 2004

Grab Life by the Ventricles

Today was the last day of Tax Free Weekend here in the great state of Texas. Yesterday I bought my first Abercrombie and Fitch shirt. It's pink with blue letters spelling the store's name. Today I bought 2 jeans, one Z. Cavaricci and one American Eagle. Since I lost 20 pounds over the summer clothes shopping has been so much more fun. I can't wait to wear all my back to school stuff at school next week. Tomorrow is the one-year anniversary of my being a scribe. I'm celebrating by training 2 new girls at work. Talk about karma. BTW, Ouch!!

Wednesday, August 04, 2004

Incoming

Slowly but surely my textbooks are coming in. I've thought about reading them, but I'm so immersed in Reading Lolita in Tehran that I want to finish it first. It's #40 in the Amazon.com sales rank! It's so good; I highly recommend it. Today was my sisters' first day of school. It's just a little reminder to enjoy my last 2 weeks of summer while I still can. They were very excited when they came home and it looks like they're going to have a fantastic year. My youngest sister is in the 8th grade so it's her last year of middle school and my other sister is a high school senior, so this is her last year of grade school period. It's a pretty exciting time in their lives. As for me, I'm about to embark on my most important year of college. I'm a little freaked out, but I'm trying to keep a cool head about the whole 20 hrs + 10 hrs of work thing. People have been calling me to get together, but I've been so swamped with work that I won't be able to see them until school starts. I'll be glad when the weekend gets here.

Tuesday, August 03, 2004

Jaw Dropper

Prepare to be amazed. Oh my gosh, Will, are you okay? I actually saw an accident today on the Tollway. This huge truck was literally upside down, and there were ambulances and cops everywhere. Pretty freaky stuff.

Monday, August 02, 2004

Erotomania

Today I got up at 5:30 to go to work and found my car, house, and front yard vandalized in a way reminiscent of an ambiguous scene in To Sir with Love. Disgusted I took off for work using my mom's Tolltag (I'll get my own soon). I thought there would be a Walnut Hill exit, but there isn't south-bound. So I got off at NW Highway and made a U-turn. I got to work where some stuff happened that I don't want to go into. Then I went to the SMU bookstore to get some ISBN numbers. It was a very ALIAS covert op. I waited in line to buy a student planner when I ran into Tiffany and Sam. That was pretty cool. Then I head on the Tollway and enjoyed fulfilling my need for speed. When I got home I punched in all the ISBNs. My history class has 13 books, while one of English classes has 7 and the other English has 1. Methinks this is crap. I watched He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, which was so good. You must see this movie; it is awesome!!