Five Most Played AM! Songs (And For Good Reason)

1. Don't Lose Touch

2. We Laugh At Danger And Break All The Rules

3. Pints Of Guiness Make You Strong

4. Untitled (from the Acoustic EP)

5. Reinventing Axl Rose

I like lyrics that mean something and that you can shout out of your car window. IF THIS GM VAN DON'T MAKE IT ACROSS THE STATE LINE WE MIGHT AS WELL LAY DOWN AND DIE! BECAUSE IF FLORIDA TAKES US, WE'RE TAKING EVERYONE DOWN WITH US! WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM WILL BE THE DEATH OF US! You know, things like that.  My vacation was anything but relaxing and fun.  It was quite a disaster.  I got bit on the arm, fell on ice, read no books because there was no light, had no stamps to send my letters and left a day early.  I can't wait to get my camera and start taking pictures.  I really wish I had it for the next few days worth of activities before school starts again.  Winter vacation felt like nothing at all.  Time didn't stop at all.  Everything just kept going and going and there was no rest, for the weary or anyone else for that matter.  I still have to do math homework and read that self-important bitch Jane Austen.  I need to clean out my car, room, backpack, life life life.

Five Freshly Burned CDs

1. 8 Diagrams from Wu-Tang Clan

2. NBC Presents: The 60's

3. Stone Cold Rhymin' from Young M.C.

4. The Lemonheads from The Lemonheads

5. Pretty Much The Greatest Christmas Mix Ever from Rohan

Seriously, Rohan really did make pretty much the greatest Christmas mix ever.  That's why I didn't even try (and I don't think John did, either, even though he kept asking me where my great mix was).  We ran into each other in the parking lot (it was sort of planned.. I was coming to pick it up/he was going to his car to get it) and it was fun.  I'm excited to see everyone tomorrow.  Little Johnny (right) and the Carlucci's are coming, which is something special.  Yesterday in the city it started raining really hard.  I wish city rain would happen to me more often, it smelled good and even though my shoes were soaked, I barely felt wet.  I've also concluded that Hoboken is the best way to travel.  Transportation cost $8 to park, $3 for a MetroCard plus gas money.  Compared to the $17 it takes for the train.. Cool.  I might have to live in Hoboken for a little while.  I snapped some really good pictures.  I wish they would just upload onto the computer.

Merry Christmas! It's been Baby Jesus' birthday for an hour now.  Matthew S. Lax is coming over for the holiday so it should be quite fun.

Five Favorite Holiday Songs

1. Run DMC - Christmas in Hollis

2. Guster - Donde Es La Santa Claus?

3. Band Aid - Feed the World (Do They Know It's Christmas?)

4. Mighty Mighty Bosstones - This Time of Year

5. Away In A Manger

I'm doing everything last minute, as always.  Bought some gifts for Dennis this morning, but that's all.  I usually bake and paint everything for everyone.  Gifts don't matter that much.  I asked Santa for a Nikon D40, but I think if I get it I'll feel really guilty because it's expensive and I'd rather buy it myself.  Anyway.. Today I'm going to the city (hopefully getting some nice PJs somewhere for the NYE partay) and to my dad's house for "Christmas Eve".  Since he doesn't come over for Christmas morning anymore, we go to his house on the 23rd for Christmas Eve and the 24th is Christmas morning.  You know?  Haha.  I have to work on the fam's annual Christmas DVD!  Last night Dann, Annie and I went to Westfield in all it's pre-Christmasy glory.  So cute.  We went to John's house and hung out with Beth and the dog.  So cute.  We took a lot of funny pictures that were totally indie and scene.  Hahahah.  We layed in the middle of the busy street, really long exposures, black and white, coffee cups.. The whole thing.  But my camera, as always, doesn't work with my computer anymore.

Five Terrible Things About Pre-Christmas Week.

1. Teachers still think we're paying attention.

2. Every class has to get ONEEE more test in before we leave.

3. "Well, since you have the next week OFF, I might as well give you 102,923 projects..."

4. All of my nights have been dedicated to making Christmas gifts.  Homework is put off until Block 2 Journalism.  But hey, it gets done, right?

5. Slow. Slow. Sllllllllllllow.

Slow, like a row of l's or a row of i's.  When you type a row of l's or i's you press the button forever, yet get nowhere.  Nothing like a row of w's or v's.  All of my weeks thus far have been w's.  But now, when it counts, I get an l week.  Let me free, let me run free.  I'm craving iced tea so badly right now.  I've never wanted to consume a beverage this badly in my life.  My throat is wanting.  Wanting.  I've been drinking bottled water but everything about it is wrong.  Everything.  If I were motivated enough, I'd run out to King's right now.  Now.

Wanting everything now.  No delayed gratification, no patience.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

I can't even wait for that.  I copied and pasted.

Five Cool Things About Whole Wheat Bread

1. They have the greatest shirts ever. "Dirty South Punk Rock" and "I Love Black People" and "Fuck the Police".

2. They do the Soulja Boy dance on stage.

3. "Why is it that you white people are always on that show 'When Animals Attack'?"

4. They rock out and rap while doing so.

5. Before they go on stage, the audience chants "Whole Wheat Bread ain't nothin' to fuck wit!"

Honestly, WWB was one of the best acts I've seen in a while.  Big D was okay, but WWB had tremendous energy and the crowd loved them.  Also, Brain Failure.  A band from Beijing. So good, even though at times I couldn't really understand them.  I like ska shows a lot, I don't think I go to enough of them.  After the show we went to Time To Eat, where the kids behind us were listening to our very awkward conversation.  We laughed a lot after that.  It was a really good time.  Cynthia says they have another show in January... More: Today I managed to draw out all of my Christmas presents for my work folks.  Now I just have to paint them all and stuff.  Ah, there's a lot to do in a short week.

Five Lyrics About This

1. "I just want you to know I have a major crush on you.  I'd take you to Las Vegas to do the things you want to do.  I'd even have Wayne Newton dedicate a song to you.  I only wish that this could be."

2. "I know I'll always stop and see you.  We'll run into each other's fucked up lives.  Yeah, I guess, although it tears me up inside."

3. "I'm sorry, but I'm just thinking of the right words to say.  I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be.  But if I had to walk the world, I'd make you fall for me. I promise you, I promise you I will."

4. "If we're never together, if I'm never back again.. well, I swear to God that I'll love you forever."

5. "You're all that I need, though I know that it never can be, I'd be pleased to post your decrees, to fall at your knees, to name all your streets and to sit down and weep when you're carried back through them and set down to sleep and to lie by your side for sublime centuries until we crumble to dust when we're crushed by a single sun."

okay, i always fall for the wrong people at the wrong times and everything about this is just wrong, wrong, wrong but it feels right. it feels all right. i'm feeling alright. i just want to tell him. while we're just sitting/standing there doing nothing or when we're outside and he's smoking or when he's talking to me about music. because i love those three things about him. i love nothing and cigarette smoke during the winter and music. that's all. i miss him when i'm not around him and i miss him when i am around him. it's a perpetual fucking clash between all of my emotions all the time. no one should ever think this hard about anything. i don't put this much effort into my school work.

was this too much?

and all i keep thinking about is:

someone come home.

Five Of The Ten Million Things I Love About My English Teacher

1. He has the greatest glasses. 

2. His vocabulary frequents the word "pagenation".

3. I'm convinced he's hiding tattoos under his sweaters.

4. He used to be a DJ.

5. He doesn't really like gin.

The first time I met Mr. Belsky, I didn't know about any of this.  The only thing I knew about him was that he definitely knew where Belgium was located.  Which was important, and I believe his is the sole reason I passed my German 4 midterm.  But now that I know him I'm convinced that he's the silliest man alive.  It's a good thing, shall he ever read this.  However, I don't think he will.  He doesn't understand why we all have blogs.  Quite frankly, neither do I.  Every day is an adventure, I guess.  Wherever I wind up in twenty years.. it's comforting to know that I'll always have the Internet to remind me of my youth.

Five Reasons I'm Happy Today

1. I'm going to NYU.

2. I'll be living in the city full time next year.

3. No more college applications<3.

4. Communication with bestfriend.

5. I did none of my homework and do not care one bit! I'm too happy.

SO YEAH, THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.  The picture (which is the Christmas tree in Rockafell'a' Center) is worth 48,000 words.  Explosion! Ecstacy! Color! Goodness, it's so surreal. Like, in four more years I'll have a degree from New York University. Are you for real? Me?! Class of 2012.  I feel like everything has finally paid off.  Staying up late, procrastination, sleep deprivation.  I did it.  I did it and it feels so fulfilling.  Everyone has been really happy for me, which I think is the best part of this whole experience.  I just think it's such a beautiful thing that people, though they're all worried about their own college endeavors, can still feel this tremendous happiness for others.  I love it.  Sometimes we suck, but we're really good deep down.  Everyone I've ever known is the best.  I know that I couldn't do any of this without them.  I know I couldn't.  Like Chuck says, "I am the combined effort of everyone I know."  THANK YOU, MR. PALAHNIUK.

Five Beautiful Things About Philadelphia

Last night in New York I saw the cast of the Real World. People don't translate from the Real World to the real world very well.  They all looked so perfect, even though I know they aren't... My new promise to myself is trying to do one piece of art every day.  Let's hope it lasts long.  Hey, my brother sent an e-mail to Tom Gabel and he sent one back.  That's all the excitement I can handle right now.

Five Good Reasons You Should Have Come to Fest

1. Keg!

2. Pong!

3. Rock band!

4. Helium!

5. Suggestive photos!

Honestly, tonight was the most fun I've had in ages with my Germans. And, awesome news... My computer finally read my camera!!! 734 pictures!!! Holy crap, I'm so excited.  Anyway, tonight. Basically, we got the keg of birch beer, Sarah stuck her head under it, we set up about 6 pong tables, we danced, did kareoke, played so much Rock Band, danced, James chugged an ENTIRE BOTTLE of syrup, a few people puked, we ate pie, we ate other things, we made waffles. I am in love.  And I'm off to load about 730 pictures on the Book.

Five Things That Were Awesome About Today

1. No third block.

2. Party instead of third block.

3. Amazingly good pizza.

4. Compliments. :)

5. Crazy drawings.

PS. It's still snowing a little.

Entry by the lovely Cayce Clifford.  Truly outrageous!  Much like reading Candide and doing a 7-page paper in one night.. Tonight Frauglow is teaching me how to make German kaltehund, so Danny and I are doing that.  After I finish my homework for the next two nights.. Because tomorrow I have Elan, then I'm going to Sarah's with Cynthia to make waffles (! yeah, really) and then heading to our all night Fest party.  This week flew.. Next week my entire future will be decided for me.  Wonderful.  Overwhelming.  Either/or.

Five Things I Already Love About the Reissue of Goddamnit!

1. It's on Asian Man. Thank you, thank you.

2. There's a DOCUMENTARY on the DVD.  A real documentary.

3. Brendan Kelly wrote a liner note.  He is all sorts of wonderful.

4. The bonus tracks are the '96 demo!! This means Weak Week!!

5. Matt Allison.  Remixed and remastered by Matt Allison. Omg.

After listening to the track on the myspace, though (myspace.com/goddamnitredux), I'm still excited by it sounds different than I imagined.  But I think it's only because myspace sucks.  I'm so excited for this album.  Ten years.  Ten glorious years of Alkaline Trio.. March! March! March! Ughh, I can't wait.  I hope we get it early.  We got Remains about a week ahead of time. 

FYE is now open until 10pm on weekdays.  Ugh.  This means I work until atleast 10:30.  Tonight it'll be atleast 11, though.  Superbad AND Pirates of the whateverwhatever and whoever chest curse death come out tomorrow.

Five Things I (and Dann and LB) Did In Five Minutes (ish) Yesterday

1. Watched a woman's bag for her at Cosi.

2. Watched a dog and cat come out of the bag.

3. Chased the woman for two blocks to offer her help.

4. Carried her bags to the Starbucks on 37th and 8th.

5. Spilled a cup of hot Green Tea at the Starbucks.

I love New York.   I'm going back on Friday because I have no work.  Knowing this, I'm assuming I'll have to work next Friday and won't be able to go see Diana's band (and BIG D!). I really hope I can go to that show, though.  I'm going to beg Johnny today. :) I hear back from NYU in less than two weeks.  Slow down, you're moving to fast.

And, I'm officially asking for a Nikon D40 for Xmas.  I'm offering to pay for half of it, but I do not want to pay for all of it.

Edit: It needs work, but...

A Genuine Faux

"This is nothing like Paris," she said

Opening her wallet to a strategically placed passport

That screamed Cultivé!

She impressed us with her knowledge

Of madeleines and Marcel Proust

As we stood in line for

Peppermint Mochas

and Double Tall Soy Lattes

As she ordered her

Demitasse of the le plat du jour.

"In Paris," she said, "your feet never touch the ground."

She told us of romance, of Eiffel Towers

Her eyes in the distance as if

She could see it, right there

On 37th and 8th Avenue.

She had certainly gone somewhere

In her mind and had forgotten

To come back.