Laziness Strikes Again! The Excuses for Not Blogging

I formally declare this blog as an apology for my lack of commitment and follow-through with expounding upon the adventure both great and small in my life via the use of this blog.

However, I do not fail, because I am writing now, and I intend to make up for lost time. I will have to give very brief information on what has been happening in the life of Kiah for that past 3 months, but it will happen.

Spring break was fantastic. Samsy and I had a great time in Lake Havasu, Arizona. It was extremely hot and breezy, which was a nice change from the cold weather I had been experiencing in Ellensburg. I learned quickly that no one there has a problem with girls running around town in there bikinis and no more. On the beach, it was certainly spring break central.. we're talking boats, boats, and more boats boasting loud music and partying like the sun don't shine. Girls were wearing pasties, which was very much not to most of their benefits, and half the college students there were drunker than I'd ever seen anyone.
This scene was definitely something I was used to. Somehow when Samsy told me people would be partying I just expected something a little cleaner, and seeing all of this made me really anxious. But I put on my game face and tried to be brave, I didn't come all that way to be a party pooper, I just didn't think I wanted to be a party player.
And in addition to my partying anxieties, I felt like a freaking beached whale. 90% of the girls there were tan and gorgeous and skinny, and I was just stewing in my homemade blubber.. not to mention that Samsy is also one of those babes, so I was walking around being compared to 24/7. I know that sounds so bad, but I really felt that way. I'm in a committed relationship, so I have no qualms not being particularly noticed. But come on. It would have been nice to be admired or hit on at least once out of that whole week. And it never once happened. Which just plunged my ego down harder, and guy after guy would say something to Samsy. I mean, it's shallow and stupid, and I didn't really want to have to deal with some sleazeball, but like I said, it wasn't any good for how I feel about my image as it is.

But enough about my self-centered discrepancies. The trip was really fun. Samsy's grandma was an absolute sweetheart and she said I could come back anytime! I love grandparents. :) And Vegas was really flashy and cool. It definitely would have been more exciting if Samsy and I were 21, BUT for only being there 24 hours I really enjoyed myself. There was even this parade of like at least 60 or 70 motorcycles that all went down the strip, they were so loud but it was really cool to watch. It truly is a city that never sleeps, maybe next time I'll get to stay awake with it ;)

For now that shall have to be my speech on my spring break. I'll try to post some pictures soon. And then I'll talk about my European escapades to come!!! Get ready world!

Peace.

Aches and pains and.. where is the tylenol?

I feel so gross today.

*Sidenote- Every time I say, hear, or think of the word "gross" I remember back in grade school and junior high when my friend Mimi used to use it to express anything she disliked or found not cool. I don't even know if she remembers that. But I do. *

I don't know if it's because I did a major work out last night (involving a lot of conditioning), or because Alex has been kinda sick lately, and needless to say I could easily get something from him because I spend at least 90% of my time with him.

Either way, I woke up this morning aching all over with sniffles and back pain to boot. No, it's not "that time of the month" .. or at least it shouldn't be. And I also managed to miss my geology class this morning, again. Ohhh I really hope I don't have to regret it when I take my last two final exams for the class. I have one on Thursday (lord help me) and another next wednesday. Hopefully I can bombard a study session in the library today and tomorrow.. and next week. UGH! This is the only class I have any qualms with. I mean, as long as I do some diligent studying I should do fine, or at least the same as I have been doing, and then get a B in the class. That would be acceptable for me.

If all goes as planned. I will have an A in anthropology, and A (possibly an A-, though not likely) in music, and a B of sorts in geology. That's not bad right? No.. I don't think so. There are worse things in life. I shan't complain.

Anyway, I have class to attend. I bid the reading world adeiu.

The wall that separates distraction from motivation.

Successfully choosing photobooth over homework.

Ever wonder why you lack the potential to get everything done, on time, without fighting the obstacles of sleep, food, friends, lovers, television, facebook.. or anything that sounds more appealing than that thing you need to do?

It seems like I wrestle with incompetence, on my own part, every freaking day. Supposedly it takes 21 days to make a habit; but how does one get the motivation to start the process of making a habit in the first place?

Oh boohoo, I should just suck it up and learn to be more proactive. I frustrate myself. There are priorities and then stuff. Stuff shouldn't come first. I know it shouldn't. I constantly tell myself "Kiah Rae Harris! Dammit you KNOW you need to do such-and-such, so shape up!" or something of that nature. Apparently I'm also incapable of listening to my own advice.

It's so easy to say I'm going to get something done. Then somehow it is the freaking worlds most trying task to actually do it. AHH!

I guess I'll quit whining. I'd tell you that I'm going to go be productive, and get some homework done or something, but I'd rather be honest... I'm not.

Peace.

I skipped geology today for the 3rd time this week. I really need to get out of the habit of that. But I'm just not a morning person.

It got me thinking, maybe I shouldn't take any more 9am classes this year? Next quarter I've got myself signed up for another anthropology class. However I'm super scared that the fact that it's so early will make it so that I don't go, which means I won't do as well, which means I'll hardly enjoy it.. I know I should just suck it up and take the class, make sure I go. Yet if I know myself, I know I'll find excuses not to have to get up in the morning.. The not wanting to get up early everyday totally outweighs my want to take the class at this point.

SO! Hopefully I'll be able to sign up for something that I'll enjoy at a later hour, that doesn't conflict with the rest of the classes I'm registered for. Maybe another music class? I really love the one I'm in now, maybe I should just take another elective for Spring quarter? Oh darn.. decision-making skills are not my forte.

UGH! I'm not feeling very great today.. Maybe I'm just feeling pessimistic. I don't even know why. Not every day is full of joy and sunshine.

Well, to stop myself from complaining about other things, I'm going to end this now and go to Abs class with Ariel.

Caio

Sun is shining.. It's gonna be a good day.

Today is a lovely sunny day! Getting up to around 56 degrees I'd say.. Spring is well on its way here in Ellensburg. :) The sun always puts me in a good mood, makes me want to be productive, and healthy. It is good motivation. Summer is my favorite season, so the closer it gets, the happier I become.

I just found out that I totally whooped my anthropology exam! I tied with one other person for the highest grade in both my professor's classes, I'm pretty happy with that achievement right now. It feels nice knowing I can accomplish something I want to. There's always a difference between doing well without working hard (which still feels great), and doing well as the result of good work. I fell somewhere in the middle for this one, I barely studied at all, but I'm satisfied nonetheless.

This past week I spent at school of course and then Alex and I went out to Yakima and visited with his Aunt and cousins and immediate family (as they came up to do business). It was nice getting away from the school and spending time with friends and family; as well as eating some non-school food. David, Alex's dad, knows how I loooove mac n' cheese. And, as per usual, he pulled through on making a super delicious batch of it. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. When we go to Europe next fall, that is definitely going to be one of the little things I will miss.. homemade mac n' cheese, courtesy of David.

Also, wednesday the 24th was my youngest brothers 10th birthday. It's hard to believe he is getting so big already, and right now I'm twice his age.. that's a slap in the face of age if I ever heard of such a thing. When I was little I used to think it was strange that some of my peers had older siblings in Jr. High, let alone high school or college. Oh how the tables have turned. I'm the eldest, so the perspective is definitely one-sided.

My moms birthday was also this saturday the 27th. Normally I would have taken her out to dinner, if I weren't on the other side of the mountains. I spent the whole weekend trying to get ahold of her, but she was at work, and I had been using other peoples phones since mine has decided to off itself. And I don't even want to get into the topic of my phone right now. That'll have to be an entire blog unto itself.

Other than that I cannot really think of any news to share with the world. I am simply trying to keep up my blogging. I need to turn this into a habit. Not only because of my reason for wanting to blog my life in Europe next school year (I'm SO excited), but because it's healthy to have an outlet for my words. That way I don't just dump them on every person I talk to. Heaven forbid.

Have a happy day!

It's been awhile!

Well so much for making sure I keep up with this. I was talking to my study abroad advisor yesterday and he suggested started a blog. And sill me... I almost started a new one! What an idiot I can be..

Anyway, I'm becoming progressively more excited about this whole traveling to Europe experience. I've already go my applications for the schools I will be attending next year, and have also started working (though minimally) on my scholarship application essay. It's going to be a toughy. The next couple months are going to be extremely stressful, since there's so much I have to do.

This month alone, I need to apply for my passport (nope. havn't done it yet), get my taxes done, get my fafsa done, make sure my parents do their taxes ASAP, finish my application to the schools abroad, get two reference letters from professors, and get an extremely good head start on my application essay... none of which I have started enough to call myself confident. Why do I do this to myself! The procrastination gene must build up like 90% of my DNA, I swear.

On another note, I'm doing pretty well in all my classes. I really like my anthropology class. It's just an introductory course, but I really find it interesting. Could this be my future major subject? Too soon to tell, but I will be taking another Anth course during Spring quarter to further question my interests. It will be a biological anthropology. So we'll discuss the evolution of Homo Sapien Sapiens (modern man); and in the lab we will be able to examine real fossils and skulls and stuff! I probably sound like a total nerd right now. But I'm excited. I've never really shown much interest in a science before. It was always English, a language, choir.. something artistic and very LEFT side of the brain.. so this is an entirely new perspective on my interests--not to mention my abilities.

ALSO, I AM GOING TO VEGAS, LAKE HAVASU, AND PHOENIX FOR SPRING BREAK!!!

I'm ECSTATIC about it. And we're flying! I love flying, it's going to by a blast. I'm going with my friend Samsy- someone I met in my early teens back when I was a Sea Scout. We met one day through a grapevine of friends and totally hit it off. Being a Central makes it difficult to see my friends from home. So when she called me up asking if I wanted to go, I was basically just like "Shit Yeah!" haha.

Well I guess that's all I have to say for now. Hopefully I'll remember to keep up with this. I truly do intend to make an effort since it's important to me that I'll blog over the summer and then whilst in Europe for next year. I'll probably send out letters to family members, letting them know of my plans and giving them directions to visit this blog.

Until next time, Toodiloo!

So today was freaking dangerous.

Its below freezing here, so naturally, it snows and ice forms on the pathways at school. Mkay, I can deal with that. What I have a hard time grasping however, is the lack of safety precautions taken to ensure that nobody falls on their ass whilst trying to make it to class all in one piece!

I slipped and almost went down to the ground 13 times. THIRTEEN! That's not exactly a great number..

Other than that, my day was pretty good. My roommate Ariel and I are trying to lose weight and work out everyday. Each day we burn at least 500 calories doing cardio, do two laps around the track, and do a number of weight lifting with leg, arm, and abdominal machines. Its insane. Today was only our third day and I barely made it, we're usually there for almost 2 hours! I better start seeing some results soon. Everyone says I don't need to lose weight or anything, but I need to be happy with myself on my own terms, no someone else's.

Also, my great friend Mimi posted some of the couples portraits she took of Alex and I today! Feel free to go check them out at www.sisonphotography.com and all the other amazing photos she's taken. :)

On one last note, my best friend Shareena is coming up to visit me tomorrow, and I'm really really happy! I miss her and she's a sweetheart. I wonder what shenanigans we'll get into, haha.

Until next time, cheers!

The First of Many

So.. I've never blogged before. That's probably obvious, as there's nothing on my profile. I decided I wanted to start because I plan on studying abroad next year, and figured that blogs might be a good way to record all that I experience (since I'm terrible with journals/diaries, though this seems to be nearly the same thing).

I am a freshman at Central Washington University. I like it; it's a great school with a beautiful campus and, thankfully, a wonderful study abroad program. My boyfriend Alex and I plan on spending the first semester next school year in Tartu, Estonia, and the second in Marburg, Germany. I'm really excited, but then again really scared. I'm ridiculously broke, and will go on loans alone, that makes things iffy.

Also, today was the first day of classes for winter quarter. My teachers all seem to be cool, if not a little kooky. I fully intent to apply myself a whole lot more than I did last quarter, but these courses are going to be more difficult, I can tell.

I guess I should start making notecards or something. Cheers.