He’s not “mutant”.

But he is, without a doubt, a NINJA TURTLE.

I honestly have thought that the Islamic Community of New York wanted to build a MOSQUE somewhere like, across the street or something, from Ground Zero. I thought, “meh? That’d probably weird people out, but hey. Free country.”

Turns out….

A) it’s not a Mosque. (It’s a community center.)
B) it’s not even at Ground Zero. (It’s several blocks away.)

Thank you to Cracked.com for the following article:

http://www.cracked.com/blog/3-reasons-the-ground-zero-mosque-debate-makes-no-sense/

This is why I don’t get bent-out-of-shape about this kind of thing…. there are always REAL FACTUAL DETAILS that the press seems to leave out….

–Emily

Over the summer, I began to wonder what it was I liked about school… the classes I was taking were just so PLEH.

But then I got back into REAL classes:

Vertebrate Reproduction (BYS 318)
Astrobiology (AST 210)
Psychobiology (BYS 437)
Organic Chemistry 2 (CH 332)
Organic Chem 2 Lab (Ch 336)

It’s 13 credit hours, and I’m LOVING IT. I’m absolutely enthralled. This term, it’s ALL ABOUT HORMONES. Vertebrate Reproduction - we’re studying cortisol, androgens, estrogens, and progestins; Psychobiology covers just about ALL of the pituitary hormones… and the Organic Chem is the STRUCTURES of all that stuff.
(Astrobiology is kind of a different story, but no worries, it’s still plenty fun!)

I’m just so happy to be back in the saddle.

I wasn’t just startled by someone coming up behind me; I was startled in another part of my brain… some part that said, “Hey! I know you! Aren’t I supposed to hug you, and kiss you hello?” I didn’t, of course, do anything (other than exclaim that he’d startled me). We traded mild hellos, and I left.

While at Wolf’s, I took some time to look through the boxes to see what I’d grabbed. I gave Wolf his choice of some random playstation games from one box, and I looked at the other.

I found something so sad: A book-shaped wooden box that I’d carefully hand-painted and varnished many years ago… a Valentine’s Day gift to Barrett from before we were married. I opened it, sadly thinking of what I’d find. The little bear-shaped figurines, some glued or taped to bits of paper with little scenes drawn behind them. The little notes saying what I loved about him. The little coupons for snuggling on the couch or backrubs… things he almost never asked me for. The little purple hershey-kiss-shaped drop of glass…

And then… an index card, with his handwriting. Something I don’t remember putting in there, something that could easily be from a long time ago, but just hit me so hard now. We used to write haiku to each other….

You are my treasure
Gorgeous and Precious, Love
I shall miss you much.
– With Love, Barrett

Oh…..

I used to be someone’s treasure. Someone’s precious. Something someone would miss. Something to whom someone wrote warm things, with love.

oh.

And my heart breaks into a thousand little ice-cold shards all over again.

Many thanks to Iskandar for finding this….

I now have a 3.7 GPA! WOO!

AND! I have the last two freshman requirements DONE! It’s all Biology and more Biology from here.

–Emily

The apartment is a complete WRECK right now, though. There’s NO floor space. There’s NOWHERE to walk. And KB is discovering things he hasn’t peed on yet… so he’s been busy.

I need to find some open wall space to put up my big school calendar. I’m getting organized, really. I can’t wait to have a really nice awesomely clean, organized apartment… I might be afraid to touch things if it’s TOO good, though.

–Em

Threadless.com has this design available:

And my sister, who’s the best sister in teh werld, who’s coming to the area to visit (she’s got friends down here, too…) is getting me one.

THANK YOU, AMY!! *HUGGLES*