Absolutely GORGEOUS day today…minus the first half. Was rainy and windy and cold when I woke up, but by midday, the skies were cloudless and a beautiful blue…and the air was crisp and cool. First cool day in a long time. Many things made this day good, but one of the best parts was just throwing the football around with people. Very few things beat playing football on a cool fall day. I also got my schedule figured out for next semester. When I get around to scanning it, I’ll post it here. But it seems better than this semester, in that I only have 2 “hard” classes(programming and physics 2). Anyways, just thought I’d update – beautiful days tend to do that to me. 🙂

Mm, here’s a poem – hope you enjoy.

Liquid glass
falling through
roof’s canopy as
rough breezes
shout and growl
and chill is
king.

But up above,
battle rages,
and finally, light
breaks through.

And heavens’ dome
shines a
brighter blue as
wind’s smile
chases doom
away and there is
a King.

Hey, it’s an update! What do ya know about that….

Well, I know I haven’t really updated for a while, but hey. I’ve been busy. College manages to do that. It’s odd, I’d thought that I’d have a lot of free time here at college, and while in a way I do, I always find things to do…so it feels like I’m always running behind. I have a calculus quiz this Wednesday and a chemistry quiz on Thursday, and I don’t feel adequately ready for either one. You could call that my own fault, and it probably is…ah well. One of the big skills to learn at college is self-motivation. If you don’t have it, you better learn it if you want to succeed at college. Or else just take really easy classes. Which mine aren’t. Curse me and my lofty ambitions! Of course, as I’m writing this now, I have a lab report to write and calculus homework to do. But I feel so out of it, I needed a break to refocus.

It’s amazing, while you’re at home, you can’t wait to get away to college. And then while you’re at college, at times you really want to be at home. Maybe I’m alone in this, but last weekend, it was one of the greatest things to be back in Tampa, just relaxing in my house with my family…eating good home-cooked food, sleeping in my old bed…having people around you to take care of you. Whereas at college, I’m soley responsible for my welfare. If I want to eat, I need to walk out of my dorm and go down to the dining hall or to a restaurant. But when I was at home, as soon as I walked in the door, my mom had hot chicken soup ready for me, and when I asked for it, my little sister brought me toast with jam…the next day, my dad asked me what I’d like for breakfast. I told him I was in the mood for pancakes and he made them for me. My little sister following me around, just talking about random things with me…I miss that. And no, I’m not homesick. I just realize how great home really is. When I was sick last week, it really was not cool to be in the dorm. I had to go to the doctor, get the medicine, take care of myself…didn’t have my mom to take care of me. I’m sure you understand what I mean. I’m not whining about wanting to back home, just reflecting on the differences between college and home.

One of the things I like most about college is the freedom. At home, I was much more restricted in my activities, where now I can do pretty much anything I want(which is sometimes a bad thing!). If I want to go over and visit Andrew and Chris, I can just get up from my chair and walk over to their place in 10 minutes. At home, I had parental restrictions on what I did and didn’t do. Here I don’t. Of course, that makes me learn I need to learn responsibility – doing what’s right and best.

And then it’s odd hanging out with friends in different settings – you really get to see what people are like. Things change so much in college – we’re not kids still living with our parents, we’re adults. And we act like adults(well, at least most of the time)…we’re all changing, becoming who we truly are. But it’s an odd transition, people discovering what they like to do, what they want to do..who they want to be. Of course, the friends I have now, I won’t have forever, but I’m enjoying the times I have with people now. I just wish that people wouldn not go with masks over their faces, shadowing their true form. So many people hide their true selves so as not to offend or push people away. That only makes relationships more strained…not less. This is all a part of growing up, finding out where you fit with people, where you fit in the world.

So many good things have happened in the last few weeks, some strange things, some new experiences, but it’s all good. Of course, the best thing to happen in the last year(can’t remember past that) was Sweeney’s salvation…one of the best feelings in the world, like eating a chocolate sundae, except multiplied a hundred thousand times. That made college so much more rich for me. 🙂 And then meeting new people here – I love finding out what other people are like, and getting to know other people from all these different places – simply wonderful. Something I love about college is all the different people. Every day, as I’m walking to class, I see new and different faces – so many different lives behind those faces, so many different trials, so many different joys.

And then classes themselves. I love International Relations – the world is truly a dynamic and changing place, and one of my favorite things to do is learn and talk about what’s going on between different countries…that’s basically what this class is. It makes me giddy in there sometimes, just talking with the teacher and other students about what’s going on in the world currently. My other classes aren’t quite so great…chemistry is fairly easy, but dry and uninteresting. Calculus is both very difficult and very dry. Physics is also difficult and boring. And Intro to Engineering is easy(attendance-based), and it’s sometimes interesting, sometimes boring. Sometimes I question my major…I think I’m supposed to like physics and calculus if I’m majoring in engineering…but my grades certainly don’t reflect that. Sometimes I get scared by how I’m doing in those classes. This is my whole life ahead of me – I can’t screw up.

Ok, contemplation of life time over…I probably should get back to writing. Before I do that, I leave you with this…random reflection of…things:

Sometimes
Sometimes it’s alright to run
Sometimes it’s alright to hide
Sometimes it’s alright to cover
your face
and cry

But when you finish
when your tear-streaked
face comes off the pillow
and you realize your life
is yours
you must defend it
and fight

You have no other option
no other way to run
but forward now
run the race
take your place
and to no person bow
but forward
and take your prize.

That was just written now…so it may not be technically good, but I like it…

Anyone who read all of that…thanks. ^_^

Reply with your name and I’ll respond with something random about you.
1. I’ll tell you what song/movie reminds me of you.
2. I’ll pick a flavor of jello to wrestle with you in.
3. I’ll say something that only makes sense to you and me.
4. I’ll tell you my first/clearest memory of you.
5. I’ll tell you what animal you remind me of.
6. I’ll ask you something that I’ve always wondered about you.
7. If I do this for you, you must post this on your journal. You MUST. It is written.

INFO:
Name: James
Single or taken: Taken
Sex: Male
Birthday: May 18, 1987
Sign: Taurus
Siblings: 3 sisters 😛
Hair color: brown
Eye color: Blue
Height: 5’11.25”

RELATIONSHIPS:
Are you straight/bisexual/gay?: Straight
Who are your best friends?: They know who they are 😉
You have a boyfriend/girlfriend?: yes
How many exes do you have?: None
What is your longest relationship?: 4 months
What was your shortest relationship?: 4 months

MORE ABOUT ME:
Where is your favorite place to shop for clothes: Um, any place which has clothes I like. JCPenny’s is good…Target’s good..
Any tattoos or piercings: None
Favorite designer?: None, really.
What is your sexiest outfit?: Heh, that sounds like a girls’ question.
What is your most comfortable outfit?: T-shirt/jeans or sweats
What do you usually wear at home?: T-shirts/jeans
Out (as in seeing friends/dates/etc)?: T-shirts/jeans. Yes, I like my t-shirts/jeans. 😛

DEEPER ABOUT ME:
Do you do drugs?: Nah.
What kind of shampoo do you use?: Head&Shoulders
What are you most scared of?: Wrong decisions
What are you listening to right now: Classical piano music(too lazy to write name)
Who is the last person that called you?: On the phone? Amy.
Where do you want to get married: In a church.
How many buddies are online right now?: I’m not online, hah.
What would you change about yourself?: Laziness/indecision
What do you want for your next birthday?: Cool music/clothes/money.

FAVORITES:
Colors: Green or blue.
Foods: Italian(pizza, lasaugna) or pork chops..or roast chicken and potatoes with dressing..or chocolate cake….man, I’m making myself hungry.
Girls names: Hmm…Rachel. Can’t think of any others at the moment.
Boys names: Steven, Matthew, John
Subjects in school: It depends. Sometimes math…sometimes history…sometimes English. Guess it depends on the teacher.
Animals: Dogs

EVER…?
Given anyone a bath?: Myself 😛
Smoked?: No
Bungee jumped?: No
Made yourself throw up?: Haha, no
Skinny dipped?: No
Ever been in love?: Yep
Made yourself cry to get out of trouble?: Hah, don’t think I could
Pictured your crush naked?: Um…no comment.
Actually seen your crush naked?: Nope
Cried when someone died?: No
Lied: yeah
Fallen for your best friend?: Nope
Been rejected?: No
Rejected someone?: No
Used someone?: Not that I know of
Done something you regret?: Probably

RIGHT NOW:
Clothes: T-shirt/jeans
Music: Black Hawk Down soundtrack
Annoyance: Stuff that I have to get done for dad
Smell: Spaghetti sauce!(did I spell that right?)
Desktop picture: This cool looking planet in space.
CD in player: Um..none at the moment.
DVD in player: None

LASTS:
You touched: laptop
Hugged: uh..Amy 🙂
You IMed: That was a long time ago 😛
You yelled at: Heh, I don’t usually yell
You kissed: hm, I wonder..;)

ARE YOU?
Understanding: I think so
Open-minded: As Dream said, “In the right ways”
Arrogant: I can be
Insecure: Sometimes
Random: Hah, yeah
Hungry: All the time
Smart: Yeah
Moody: Occasionally
Hard working: When I need to be
Organized: In some areas
Healthy: Yeah
Shy: Hm, sometimes.
Difficult: Not usually, I don’t think.
Attraction: You tell me.
Bored: Not really. Or wait…why else would I be doing this? 😛
Obsessed: With what? Don’t usually get obsessed with things..
Angry: Nope
Sad: Nope
Happy: Content, yes.
Hyper: Nope, not now
Trusting: Yeah, I guess

WHOM DO YOU WANT TO:
Kill?: Hah, no one I can think of. Evil people, I guess.
Slap?: No one at the moment(waits for Dream to say ‘OMG’)
Get really wasted with?: Eh. What kind of question is this? 😛
Get high with: Drugs aren’t cool.
Talk to offline: Um…lots of people?
Talk to online: Seeing as I’m not online..everybody, I guess.
Sex it up with: Hah, no comment.

RANDOM:
In the morning: I’m sleepy
All you need is: Again quoting Dream, “Jesus”
Love is: a strange and beautiful thing
I dream about: Stupid stuff
Sexual preference: girls
What do you notice first in the sex you’re into: face/smile/laugh

OR – ?
Coke or Pepsi: Pepsi
Flowers or candy: This seems like a girls’ question too, but candy, obviously. 😉
Tall or short: *shrugs*

WHO??
Makes you laugh the most: Lots of people…
Makes you smile the most: Amy
Gives you a funny feeling when you see him/her: Hehe, no idea

DO YOU EVER?
Sit on the internet all night waiting for that someone special to IM you?: Not all night.
Wish you were a member of the opposite sex?: Nope
Wish you were younger: Not really. I’d like to stay this age forever though. 🙂
Cried because someone said something to you?: Um, maybe when I was younger.

NUMBERS
Of times I have had my heart broken: Well, if my heart was never really in it anyway… None
Of hearts I have broken: Uh, I don’t think any.
Of guys I’ve kissed: That’d be none.
Of girls I’ve kissed: And that’d be one.
Of CD’s I own: I don’t want to count, but – a lot.
Of scars on my body: Um…none that I can think of.
Of things that I regret: No idea – not many that I can think of.

1. Your name spelled backwards? Nogah Semaj

2. Where were your parents raised? Mom in Michigan, Dad in Iowa.

3. What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer? Umm…I think it was this freeware space sim game. It was ok.

4. What’s your favorite restaurant? Pizza Hut/Chili’s

5. Last time you swam in a pool? YMCA…month or so ago.

6. Have you ever been in a school play? Nope

7. How many kids do you want? 3 or 4. Mix of boys and girls.

8. Type of music you dislike most? Country and most rap.

9. Are you registered to vote? Yep.

10. Do you have cable? Nope.

11. Have you ever ridden on a moped? No.

12. Ever prank call anybody? Nope.

13. Best friends? Like I said before..they know who they are. 😛

14. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving? Maybe..

15. Furthest place you ever traveled? LA

16. Do you have a garden? No

17. What’s your favorite comic strip? Foxtrot/Get Fuzzy

18. Do you really know all the words to your national anthem? If I’m hearing the music, then yes.

19. Bath or Shower, morning or night? Shower, in the morning.

20. Best movie you’ve seen in the PAST MONTH? Um…I guess War of the Worlds.

21. Favorite pizza topping? Pepperoni.

22. Chips or popcorn? Chips.

23. What color lipstick do you usually wear? Is this a trick question?

24. Have you ever peed somewhere besides the toilet? Yep(camping trips)

25. Have you ever been in a talent show? Nope, I have no talent.

26. Orange Juice or apple juice? Apple juice forever!

27. Who was the last person you went out to dinner with and where did you dine? Went to Applebee’s with people from the cast of Dream’s recital, and other friends.

28. Favorite type chocolate bar? 3 Musketeers!

29. When was the last time you voted at the polls? Soon…soon..

30. Last time you ate a home grown tomato? Earlier this summer.

31. Have you ever won a trophy? Yep.

32. Are you a good cook? I can make salads.

33. Do you know how to pump your own gas? Yep.

34. Ever order an article from an infomercial? No.

35. Sprite or 7-up? Sprite.

36. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to work? No, just an apron/cap.

37. Last thing you bought at a Walgreens? I don’t shop at Walgreens. Parents do, though.

38. Ever thrown up in public? Probably. Can’t recall when, though.

39. Would you prefer being a millionaire or find true love? True love. 🙂

40. Do you believe in love at first sight? Nope.

41. Can exs be friends? Sometimes.

42. Who was the last person you visited in a hospital? Evelyn – lady in my church that was going to have a baby.

43. Did you have a lot of hair as a baby? I was bald. 😛

44. What’s your favorite cartoon? Bugs Bunny 😉

45. What’s your favorite color? Green or blue

46. What was the name of your first pet? Calvin the goldfish.

47. What things are in your backpack? Nothing at the moment.

48. Favorite thing to do before bedtime? Read or talk w/people online.

49. What is one thing you are grateful for today? Root beer floats.

50. What are you thinking about? I need to go to bed.

Less than two weeks ’til Gville. Whoa..