BLOGSWAP this is madelyn

I'M A GUEST BLOGGER. I'm Alison's sister. We had planned to do this a long time ago but we're both lazy and busy and whatever else so it's been put off until JUST NOW. As I type, Alison is typing. We're on the same couch. It's weird.

So I'm here to give you an unbiased (not really) look at Alison. Unfortunately, I'm very used to writing about ME that I'm pretty sure I'll get sidetracked. I'll try my best to stay focused.

HERE WE GO


Alison is almost done with school. She wants to be a farmer. I think this is dope, but she still thinks she might need a different plan. Graduation is GOOD because she's nearly done with this less than glamorous college thing, but it also means that she has to be even more of a grown-up. That's seriously scary. There are many questions to be addressed, such as WHO will pay for the cell phone? and groceries? Will the parents still support the kid? Will they be resentful about it? When will poor Alison be given the financial BOOT?
Unfortunately it seems that every landmark we hit just means we gain responsibility and lose the excuse to screw around. Alison has never really been one to screw around, though. We just had a big talk that sprung from a question I had about her feelings toward college early on. For those who don't know, she's attended five universities in the past three/four years. So I was wondering if she had also invented hair-brained schemes about running away from school. Turns out, she had wanted to buy a farm and live with friends in rural Minnesota. I feel like it's a good thing she didn't do that.

So now she's nearing that finish line. But she doesn't really know what it means to finish college. Neither do I. Anyone? Ideas?

Alison has been having some trouble with her sister. While Alison has been STRESSING out about school and graduation and everything, her dopey sister (yes, me) has been playing music in a band and staying out late and just basically being a free spirit (though I assure you that the stress is just being hidden, and is building up to a breakdown). Free spirits and dedicated students tend to clash a little bit. Or a lot. Mostly, we both have predisposed ideas of the other's life. For example, Alison thinks I'm kind of a flake. I think that Alison's kind of bossy. But these feelings are old, old feelings. That's part of what it means to live with your sibling after high school I guess. We're dealing with a lot of the same issues we've been dealing with our entire lives. Except it's harder to get Mom or Dad to settle things for us (the potential phone calls are tempting).

Alison likes to make soup. She's made a couple of batches recently and I approve. But for some reason she's always like DON'T BE CRITICAL OF WHAT I MADE. But I'm not, Alison. Food is fantastic. You make all the food you want, so long as you share and you actually clean the dishes.

THIS IS ABOUT BOTH OF US: Alison doesn't always clean pans and cookware thoroughly. This is like the worst possible thing in the world for me. Like AIGHT, I was making a cake yesterday, and I went to get the measuring spoons and they were OILY, and dirty stuff was stuck to the oil. That's not alright. I'm just saying.

Alison is nice. We argue a lot. Tonight we decided that we've both been kind of crappy sisters. I can, however, blame it entirely on school. Alison has very high expectations of herself. That's just how it is. But here's a secret: We're both kind of sucking at school lately. Nobody's grades are in serious danger, but it's always nice to be reminded that nobody's perfect. Not even super-older-sisters. But this is the thing -->Alison has a note from a doctor that makes it IMPOSSIBLE for her professors to dock her points for missing class in the morning. I don't have that. But it's about time Alison got some kind of break, don't you agree?

Okay this is almost turning into a competition. She's writing WAY more than me, and I think she's sticking more to the point than I am. What do you want to know about Alison? For real, I don't know what to write. Brutal honestly?

IS IT TIME TO BE BRUTALLY HONEST?

Alison should have some Minneapolis friends. This is okay for me to point out because I also desparately need some Minneapolis friends. But it's really hard to make friends when you move around as much as we have lately. That being the case, and even though we live off-campus, and even though it's her senior year and she's freaking out about school, I still think Alison needs some Minneapolis friends.

OKAY ALISON JUST FINISHED SO I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD FINISH TOO

ummmmmm. Alison is going to be A-O-K. Life goes on. She might be a farmer, she might not. Either way I'll probably still think she's bossy. But no matter what WE ARE SISTERS and I will love her and support her til I die. That's part of the deal. So I guess that's all I have to say right now, because I'm a younger sibling, meaning I MUST follow my older sister's lead and end this post right now.

LOVE,
Madelyn

P.S. ALISON IS A GREAT PERSON (I need to make this clear)

False Alarm

Hurrah, I feel much better today! No flu for me.

I'm currently listening to "Somewhere A Clock Is Ticking" by Snow Patrol. I forgot how good this song is. It's on the Final Straw cd, and I only listen to about 3 songs on that album, and I need to branch out. It's a good cd. And it's one of the only ones I still have now that I've changed computers. I backed up all the music from my old computer to my external hard drive, but somehow it had deleted MOST of my music without telling me. So now I have about a quarter of my music on my new comp, and I've still got to get the rest (which is on my iPod) back on, so I'm downloading this handy program called Ephpod that Paige told me about. We'll see if it works!

Today I think my soapbox will be people who can't get along. Don't you hate it when two people you like dislike each other? It just ruins my whole day. Not that it's the fault of one or both parties, it's just the way the world works, I guess. I just wish everyone would get along! Live and let live. Or, as Sue Sylvester said on Glee last night (yes, it's my new addiction), "live and let learn." Possibly the only decent thing she's said this season.

But tomorrow is Friday, and that makes a lot of things better. I'm gonna get done with classes, jet on down to Nfield to see Maddie's concert at the Key, then drop the car off with above-mentioned Maddie and ride back to the Cities with Lyss to have a fun weekend watching movies, possibly going to an apple orchard, going to Jamba Juice and many bookstores, cooking delicious food, and so on.

And apropos of nothing, has anyone heard the new Decemberists tune "The Rake's Song?" It's got such a catchy beat, but it's so TERRIBLE! All about killing your kids. Not cool. But so catchy... Damn you, Decemberists. You are terribly interesting. I still can't get over how you rhymed "Miranda" with "veranda" in "We Both Go Down Together."

Also, I need recipes that use potatoes. We've got a lot of red potatoes currently, and we've gotta do something with them before they "grow legs and walk away" and Will says. Hit me with your suggestions!

I May Be Dead Of Pig Flu By Morning?

WOW I've been moody lately! Sorry about that, guys. I'm going to let that suffice as a complete explanation for my last post.

Basically, things in my life are fine now. There was some teenage relationship angst, but all is well, and the worst I have to worry about is waking up in time for classes (which has become much harder than it sounds). Oh, and I think I may be coming down with the something flu-like (hopefully not the dreaded Flu de Oink) because my stomach's been hurting for the past few days.

AND A DELICIOUS REPAST OF PAD THAI AT PAIGE'S LAST NIGHT DID NOT HELP. But it WAS freakin' delicious.

We carved pumpkins (mine is either really happy or in some kind of (erotic?) pain). After the carving we made dinner, AND pie, as we're working on perfecting a Swedish apple recipe that is getting tastier every time we make it. Again, not great for my unhappy stomach, but delicious.

Meanwhile, things like Jim and Pam's wedding, the new song by Snow Patrol and listening to the funny old guys on the bus in the morning (this morning they were discussing social security; yesterday it was lawyers. The consensus? All useless) remind me of the total awesomeness of life.

Also, a recent link by a friend of Maddie's and mine, ActionAthena, was pretty sweet! Maddie just posted a long bit about how great Athena's comics are (and I totally agree), and so Athena posted back about how great Maddie is, and somehow I got mentioned? Gotta love blood connections that get you press time. ;-)

Let's see...other news.
I'M GOING TO MEXICO! I know I've mentioned this a couple of times already, but now I have an ACCEPTANCE LETTER to prove it!!

And I think that's a good way to end. Mexico. Happy. Life is good.

Bullet Points/Stream of Thought

-I'm turning in my application for study abroad in Mexico tomorrow! I'm taking out loans to cover it, so we're gonna make it work.
-I feel swamped with work, as usual, but yet I don't feel crushed. I feel like I care less, or like there are more important things. I don't know.
-I'm emotionally confused.
-I don't feel like talking about it right now.
-I wish our new modem would come in the mail! They told me the new modem would be here, but it isn't. Gotta remember to call those guys.
-I realized a few days ago that the reason my sleep schedule is so wonky these days is because of my meds. Whenever I change the dose I end up needing a lot more sleep than usual. That's why I've been sleeping through classes more than usual! Back before I got on my meds I only needed around seven hours of sleep per night, and now I'm exhausted if I don't get between nine and ten. Go figure.
-I have a new computer, and I LOVE it! It's so light and small I can take it to classes with me without breaking my back! And it's so fast and responsive! Everything works like a charm.
-I wish I could have an extended weekend. I feel a bit burnt out.
-I got some new jeans last weekend with dad, and they fit really nice. It's good to have jeans that I really like again. I mean, ones that aren't totally ripped up. :-)
-I feel blank and crammed with thought at the same time.

I know that I started this journal to keep people updated on my life, but at this point I just feel like writing feelings more than anything else. It seems like I censor myself because I know other people will be reading this, and that makes me sound....off....somehow. I think from now on I'm going to try to put more of myself up here. I hope no one is too offended. I'm just a 21 year old kid, after all. :-)

LOOK I'M POSTING!!!!!!!!

Life has both sped up and slowed down since school started. I've gotten a lot busier with homework and classes and such, which translates to no social life and even less sleep, but at the same time it feels like things are paused. Coming back from that trip with Sarah I was so energized and invigorated about life! Living outside and communing with nature does that to me. Also, listening to Mason Jennings.

But now I'm back in the school groove and just working, working, working to get out. Only one more semester after this one and I'm done! I've been talking to a lot of people about what I want to do when I finish. Basically, I think the only worthy occupation in this world is to make it your business to help other people, and I want to do that at the base of the system, helping people get clean water, food, shelter and other necessities. I'm thinking Heifer International, PeaceCorps, or ELCA Global Missions at the moment. We'll have to see how things pan out.

But before I can graduate I need to fulfill all my requirements, and the ones I'm worried about right now are my Spanish credits. I'm taking Spanish 1003 right now, and I need to get through Spanish 1004 before I graduate, but because I'm trying to smash all of my last minute classes in next semester, and it would be SO much easier not to have to take Spanish 1004 then as well. SO, I looked for an alternative, and voila! There's a three week Spanish immersion program in Mexico this winter that would fulfill my 1004 credit! SWEET!

Downside: It costs 2,000 dollars.

Now, that sounds like a lot, but considering 5 credits (the same amount that I would get going to Mexico) costs 1,700 dollars here in Minneapolis, it's not much at all.

SO. If anyone feels like benefactor-ing this trip, or contributing to it in any way, DO SO! You will earn my eternal gratitude, and I will send you many emails from Mexico telling you what I'm up to.

Yes. Here ends my shameless begging for money.

In other news, I'm getting a new computer!!! The one I have is slowly dying, and is systematically deleting my music, so Dad was nice to me and bought me a new one which is on the way in the mail! I'm so excited to have a computer that works well again!

And now I must hasten to geology class! Later, skaters.

The Sun Comes Up And We Start Again

Update time!

So last Friday I got back from my awesome trip with Sarah! We went from Northfield through South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon to Washington. Then back from Washington through Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and home! We went through the Badlands, stayed in the Black Hills (most beautiful campground we saw!), then to Yellowstone, then to Hell's Canyon, and stayed with my friend Erica for a couple of days. Then we went out to Coeur D'Alene, then to Glacier National Park, then drove for 15 hours to Teddy Roosevelt National Park, and finally, home.

We took a bunch of pictures, but I'm FAR to busy (and also lazy) to post them all online just now, so you'll have to be content with just one. :-)


It's Sarah and me at a waterfall in Oregon! Yay!

But now I'm back, and I've become addicted to this fellow called Mason Jennings, who's from Minnesota, and his music is brilliant. Sarah introduced me en route, and I can't get enough. Same can be said of the Shins record, "Wincing the Night Away." And I plan to listen to these things while packing.

Packing for Maddie and my move in to our new place on Saturday! Exciting! It'll be nice to settle in in our new place and have a few days to get organized before classes start. And classes! Wow, I'm gonna be busy this semester! But I think I've said that before.

So, other big news. Let's see.

I got an external hard drive that I'm happy about because that means I can back up all my music before my computer dies, which is looking to be soon. I'm hoping it'll last through this year before it goes totally to pot. Apperently lap tops are only designed to work for about four years before giving up the ghost.

And that's about it, as far as I can remember. I'm still trying to decide what to be when I grow up, but that's an on going project.

A Rainy Day

Life is difficult!

I just got done with a meeting with Dad and Maddie to run the numbers for school this year. Ugh. I'm so thankful that this is my last year mooching off the banks, the school and my parents to complete my "higher" education. By that, of course, they mean higher costs. Like Maddie said tonight, the fact that we have to pay thousands of dollars per semester to get the education that's required in most jobs is ludicrous. But after this year I'll be free! Free to pay back everyone I've borrowed from. :-)

And after multiple disappointments on the housing front, we MAY have got a place. I don't want to say that we HAVE a place, even though we put the signed lease in the mail today, because we've been so close several times, and it's only ended in house heartbreak. Updates will follow.

Meanwhile, I've been spending my days painting Dad's house. It took me all of last week to scrape and sand the place, and since Monday I've been priming, and I STILL haven't gotten to the second coat. I need to finish the place before the 15th when Sarah and I start out on our Westward! roadtrip!

AND! I've got Vacation Bible School next week! A whole week of hanging out with kindergartners! We get to make crafts and play on the playground and listen to bible stories and sing songs! It's great every single year.

So anyway, painting, VBS, housing, school, money. Life.

And yet I feel like I'm waiting for things to begin.