coldddddddddddddddddddddddd

It has been really cold the last couple mornings while waiting for the train. I am starting to miss the warm weather in Chiba, sort of. Tonight there is supposed to be some sort of ice/snow/sleet storm, making tomorrow morning entirely unpleasant. Unless it snows in the shape of a castle from medieval Japan. Then it would be kind of cool. But highly unlikely.

I am now about 1/4 done with my Christmas shopping. and I've only bought one thing for myself. I'm trying to plan what to do for New Years and only Robyn has replied so far... maybe I should not do anything and just go to bed at 9:30 like usual.

I am taking the GRE on Tuesday so I must frantically study for it since it cost $140 and I had better do good for that much money!!! The questions are not actually that hard, except when the verbal questions use words I absolutely do not recognize. Makes me feel kind of dumb.

We had pizza for dinner.


Tomorrow is James's birthday!!! He is having a glam-rock 80's-ish themed party.I have found two costumes, but I haven't decided if I will go as an 80's exerciser (wearing shortshorts and an old tshirt from a race in 1984) or wearing this ridiculous shiny gold shirt I have with black leggings and a miniskirt.

I admit it, I cheated - that's a photo of my little brother James's cake from this year, not my friend James. He would have a few more candles. Pictures Sunday.

dancing yellow robot

I saw this on TV the other day - it's so cute!

Yesterday Ann and I went shopping downtown. We went to Christkindlemart and had fried potatos and boots of hot wine (Ann had apple cider in her boot). I actually bought a few presents for other people and only one thing for myself (a pair of jeans).


Also, it snowed a little bit. But it all melted.

cheese team

So today we went to Von to play chess - amazingly all 8 of the Northside kids won. I was happy. It almost made my cold better, but not quite. I hate that I always get really sick at the least oppurtune time - I have a paper due next Monday, two more due in two weeks and a project too. And for some reason I just decided to sign up to take the GRE so I must frantically study and figure out where I will send my $140 scores to. Also, I must write statements and ask people for letters of recommendation... I really should have started this a couple months ago.

Springfield

New Salem, a penny we smushed at the Abraham Lincoln Museum and some graffiti I saw out the window of the train when we were near 36th and Pulaski on the way back home.