I Have Officially Run Out of Space on Every Bookshelf in My House

Anyone have some shelves they would like to get rid of? Because I don't see myself giving away my books any time in the near future.

Mreh, Christmas

I wasn't feeling Christmas this year.

I woke up, feeling kind of off (I've been eating whatever I want lately, which means things that I usually avoid like the plague, like sugar and fat) and queasy. I asked mom if I looked like I gained weight since I got home, and she answered yes, a bit, so I weighed myself and it was the truth. Oh well. I knew it was gonna happen over the break. I'm considering my relatively chill reaction to be a sign that I'm getting a lot better, and that's I've pretty much left my eating-disorder days behind. I was prepared to gain the weight, and after Christmas I'm prepared to lose it.

I think I'm past the days of really loving Christmas. In fact, I'm pretty sure I was more excited to see Slumdog Millionaire last night than for Christmas to come. Probably cause our traditions are all different this year because Nonna can't travel, and because this semester was so stressful I never got to do the Christmas-y things I usually do, like see the tree or go to a show or see the Nutcracker. Or, maybe I'm just getting older.

On a less emo note, Slumdog Millionaire was SO GOOD. Like, indescribably good. It was one of those movies that makes you feel hopeful and happy and didn't even make you feel slightly cheap for loving a movie with such an unrealistic plotline. And the soundtrack was absolutely amazing. M.I.A. collaborated with AR Rahman on a few of the songs (O...Saya), and it reminded me why I liked her so much when she first started, before the schizophrenic, coked out, overproduced mess that was the majority of Kala (Paper Planes and 20 Dollar being my two exceptions). It hearkened back to the good old Arular days, and to Sunshowers in particular.

So go see it. I'm off to do Christmassy things.

My (Ideal) Christmas List

1) The book 2666 by Roberto Bolano.
2) This: http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?itemdescription=true&itemCount=60&startValue=1&selectedProductColor=&sortby=&id=15956956&parentid=W_ACC_SCARVES&sortProperties=+product.marketingPriority,-product.startDate&navCount=288&navAction=poppushpush&color=
3) A ton of money for Italy.
4) This: http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?itemdescription=true&itemCount=60&startValue=1&selectedProductColor=&sortby=&id=15439060&parentid=W_APP_VESTS&sortProperties=+product.marketingPriority,-product.startDate&navCount=60&navAction=poppushpush&color=
5) A new perfume, preferably Bond No. 9's Bleecker Street, or, for a slightly less damaging-to-your-wallet choice, L'Occitane Amber travel sized ($17! Secret Santa !!!)
6) A life time supply of Edy's Slow Churn, with a handy new refrigerator to put it in (Still need to try the Samoas flavor, that Maddy so kindly texted me two days ago to tell me was HEAVENLY - with REAL pieces of Samoas!).
7) A recording of the complete works of Ernest Bloch.
8) While we're on the topic of Ernest Bloch, the sheet music for Bal Shem. I want to learn a lot of small pieces next semester. So add Clair de Lune by Debussy to that list. And I'll find some other ones.
9) An A in all my classes except Not-for-Profit-Management, cause even Christmas Miracles aren't that miraculous.
10) A good Italy guidebook.
11) Dinner at Momofuku Ko. Oh wait, none of you have $200 dollars for both of us? Cause I'd expect someone to come with me.... sigh, why are we so resolutely middle class?
12) Fun headbands. A few thinner ones I can wear around my forehead.

Umm yeah I think that might be it. So get to it, kiddies.

Jk, jk.

(maybe)

Alex's Packing Strategy.

It's simple, really. Just follow these steps!
1) Survey all items in apartment.
2) Put all items on bed.
3) Stare.

Hijinks

I didn't leave the room once yesterday. Actually, I went downstairs to get the paper. So I left the room once, but I didn't leave the building once. I spent the whole doing work and when I wasn't doing work eating ice cream and watching Carnivale on the internets. I'm completely addicted to that show now, which is a bit unfortunate due to my inclination to watch it a) instead of writing my final sociology paper that is due thursday but that I have to finish before wednesday night because I have a take home final wednesday night and b) right before bed, which makes it difficult to sleep when the last image left in my mind is a dancer from the carnival who was lynched by crazy miners who then carved HARLOT into her forehead (just like in the Bible!). So I had to get in bed and listen to some happy music (Fairytale of New York, which for some reason always makes me happy even though it's definitely not a happy song) and read for a bit, and by the time I calmed down enough to go to bed it was 12:30 and I was too fucking cold to fall asleep. So after covering myself in 50 million blankets, I woke up at 5:00 burning up. I took off all but one blanket, was comfortable, and fell asleep for a remaining one hour. I'm now so, so tired.

Things Finals Week Means I Can Do:

1) Let the room become unbearably messy, because stress = inability to move my shoes 10 feet from in front of the couch to my closet.
2) Not wash dishes until I need to use one and all the silverware is gone and I realize it's really hard to eat ice cream with a knife.
3) Eat ice cream. All the time. Speaking of which, I'm out and should probably go to the grocery store while Edy's slow-churn is still on sale for $3.99 instead of $6.99 (!!!)
4) Eat whatever the hell I want. Yesterday that included pho (in a bowl that probably holds an entire liter of soup), ice cream, an Italian pastry (my mom came to visit and went to Ferrara right when it opened, so my sfogliatelle was warm right out of the oven), brussels sprouts (mmm dinner), and loads of chocolate. And then I weighed myself this morning because I'm a masochist but I didn't gain any weight so I was happy.
5) Sleep late. Aka 7:30.
6) Not go to the gym. It's cold, my unlimited metrocard finally expired, and I HAVE TOO MUCH TO DO.
7) Not bathe. Hey, I'm not sweaty because I never go to the gym. So who cares if I don't wash my hair for three days? No one has to smell me but my roommates, and they don't count.

J-Date Dreamin

Is it bad that I sometimes really wish I was Jewish so I could join J-Date? It just seems like a less sketchy, less Christian (obvi) version of eharmony. Which I also sometimes wish I could join. The people on the commercials just look so damn happy.