ok, superquick, I have two papers to write in forty minutes, then I'm supposed to meet my linguistics friends for sushi, then I'm going to a John Kerry party in Eden Prairie!  I got five hours of sleep last night, but I finally found my paper mode mind this morning...all you wash u people know what I mean.  I drank two huge cups of tea and then I would write a paragraph then run one lap around my apartment!  (It's so cute- my kitchen has two entrances, so I can do laps:) I wonder how many it takes to make a mile...the people downstairs must hate me!)  Anyway, I was so hyper!  Bsing was the most useful college skill.  Anyway, now I have two to write and I have to get in my paper zone again.  Katy- your dad is probably the nice funny guy on the bus.  Someone's creepy when they demand your last name before they'll get off the bus.  That's my new rule.  So, Andrew, how was that chicken?  Oh, I was talking to my grandpa tonight and he said he's going to try to make my brother be Republican...um, no.  That's way too family ties.  I told my grandpa that he wishes that they had more smart people on their side and I think he hung up on me!  I called back and my grandma said "he's done talking."  I really hope he knows I was kidding!

This must be short because I'm budgeting my time to the hour this week- sorry to people who helped me overcome the crazy scheduling last time, but I need to do it again! Anyway, yesterday I was sitting on the bus and a man came and sat right next to me (which is like those obnoxious things to do on a bus lists, because there were only two other people on the bus). He kept asking me questions and touching my arm and even when I gave all the cues that I didn't want to talk (like looking out the window with determination, putting my headphones on, and reading a book) he kept asking me personal questions. So I started lying and hoping he would leave soon...I told him my name was Nicole Brown and I live in Madison. Afterwards, I felt bad because people used to just be able to talk to strangers without such suspicision, and so later, I asked my dad how people treat him on the bus (although I know he could never be that creepy!) He said that two women ride the bus from the same stops with him everyday and have never even acknowledged him, and said that they probably think he's invisible. Is that how it makes men feel? Because honestly, we (girls) today are bombarded with so many stories about what can happen to you if you don't act defensively all the time, that it makes it almost impossible to trust any strangers. So I explained that to him- do other guys feel that way? On the other hand, people today should understand that you can't sit down right next to someone and ask for their last name anymore because our society just isn't that safe, and if you don't abide by those rules, then you're just kidding yourself and are asking to be labled "creepy guy who rides my bus on mondays." I'm still sad that I can't talk to strangers anymore, but I would definitely say "hi" to someone on the bus whom I had met somewhere else or through a friend! Is being over-cautious making us a society of strangers?

yes! I just dropped EDHD 5003, which means that I have three classes, from 12:20-4:30 Mon-Thurs and one on Friday morning. This will be so much better...I'll have time to think and maybe visit my cousins during the week. I am such a happy camper:)

Last Friday I went to the new IKEA superstore next to the Mall of America. There were literally thousands of people there! It's so amazing- the store is set up like a museum, with only one path for going through. There are hundreds of rooms set up with the furniture arrangements and you just write down the aisle and bin number of what you like and then pick it up at the end of the "tour." I bought beautiful $5 curtains, a fancy cheese grater, heart-shaped ice cube trays, and a book shelf and tv unit. I wore my flip-flops and I have no upper-body strength, so picking up my furniture in the warehouse alone was super-hilarious for people watching me, I'm sure! I kept sliding across the floor while pushing the dolly. Then I had to wait in the check-out line for an hour, but the cutest kids in front of me sat on my dolly too and we all played games on my cell phone. I also got cable this weekend, so once I get dsl on Friday, everything will start to be easier.

I went running on Saturday and somehow found Paul Wellstone's grave (which my Aunt hadn't been able to find all year). I guess I don't know very much about his campaign, but I remember John Edwards saying that he was a great champion for the underdogs of society. I hope the Kerry/Edwards presidency can do that too, especially for the public education system. As a future teacher studying the Minnesota Standards for Education required by No Child Left Behind, it seems like the program is mismanaged and underfunded.

I hope everyone has a good week.
Top upcoming thing to look forward to: The Olympics in three weeks!!

I just took my Educational Psychology final exam!! OMG I'm glad that class is over. It was way too much busy work.

I've been so busy in the last few weeks that I'm starting to be really excited about anything not having to do with school. Tonight I'm going to go to Loews to pick out the paint color for my bedroom!! (See the exclamation points? I'm really so excited:)). Having this much work has definitely made me appreciate how boring my parents' daily life seems- I usually chastise them for going to Home Depot for fun, but I think I understand now. Anyway, my color options so far are: Melon Popsicle, Return to Paradise, or Tuscan Gold.

In case anyone else needs to know too, the ECM alumni (us or a- whatever) Blog address is:
http://ecmalum.blogspot.com and the password for posting is the name of our house.

My other plans for the weekend are to buy a bookshelf at the new IKEA superstore and get a pet fish. I'm going to buy a little yellow one and name it Chiquita.

I can't think of anything else, because the only thing I've done this week is study. I highly reccommend that you rent "Before Sunrise"

if you're going to Blockbuster, because it's so romantic and beautiful...it's kind of like "Reality Bites," but with two people in love in Vienna :) But if you rent it, then you can go see the sequel, "Before Sunset," which is in theaters now. I sound like a commercial, but it's just so good!

TGI-almost-F, everyone.

I just saw my cousin Eli take his first steps! He's such a sweet baby and he already looks like a lumberjack:)

I'm so glad this week is over. I met the chaplain at the Episcopal Center at the U of M today (apparently the "the" distinguishes it from U of M). Anyway, the space is very swanky compared to the Rock, but I started to feel nostalgic because it's much less homey. Downtown is so far away from my new apartment though, so I may go to a super-ritzy church that's down the street. It's called St. Stephen the Martyr, and if it's possible, it looks more like an anglican church than SMSG. There are huge, fancy iron gates around a quad with beautiful flowers and a stone bridge and terrace that go over the river behind the building itself. I think it's probably "high church," but I grew up with that and I've kind of missed it over the past 8 years in Michigan.

I'm going to go see Spider-man 2 at the Mall of America tonight. If you've never been to the MOA, you should plan a trip;) because it's like the 8th wonder of the modern world! There's an amusement park inside the mall with roller coasters and a log ride, and there are over 400 stores!! It's so hard to describe how big it is- my best guess would be as big as an airplane hanger, but I've never been in one, so maybe not.

The amusement park is called camp snoopy:)