In case Steven doesn't know your email address (and that's practically everybody)

It's time for our housewarming party! This Saturday, 7pm. Feel free to bring your own special guests. Email me for more details.

I know. I'm a bum, and this is not the way to invite people to parties, but I don't want to accidentally forget anyone.

Everything good is obviously attracted to Australia

Luckily I managed to see one movie at the film festival despite my crazy schedule. But it was so awesome! It was too funny. I mean, severed body parts, the village people and a no mans land town make for a great movie. So I've come to the conclusion that everything good must come from Australia. I mean think about it, my first Australian movie and I couldn't stop laughing. Ben Folds couldn't handle the force that was pulling him towards Australia. The Olympic committee couldn't deny their love of the Aussies. Powderfinger, born and raised in Australia had to be good obviously. All of the good hot chocolate is hiding in Australia. The coolest of the coolest animals all reside in Australia. Let's not forget it's the land of all of the yummiest fruit.

No wonder I liked it so much...

Move over, S.E. Hinton

Flavia's calling you out, warthog. I bet her parents let her get a puppy after she signed her publishing contract.

The future, today: driving the Toyota Prius

Monday, I took my first drive in a new Toyota Prius. Critical point in that sentence: NEW. The old Toyota Prius was based on the critically lauded Toyota Echo, and it showed. It was a crappy little car, where I felt like I was bumping the dashboard even at full seat extension.

The new Prius, on the other hand, seems like it just stepped out the concept car garage for a little spin. The start button! The crazy no-button dash! On Saturday, while futzing with the glove compartment in the Pig, I commented that they should really be making glove boxes bigger by now. My comment echoed backwards through time, such that when I got into the Prius on Monday, there were TWO spacious glove compartments facing the passenger seat.

Also, I know tons of cars have controls conveniently located on the steering wheel, but I don't drive those cars, ok? And as soon as I noticed those controls, the car came together for me. The zen driving experience had begun.

Yes, that's because I nearly freaked out when I started it. I was rushing a bit, because I didn't know when Kitten's train was, and I didn't want her to miss it because i was lollygagging around the parking lot, so I was quite keen to be off. Except whoever drove the car before me had the air conditioner on so high, my eyeballs were drying out. I'm trying to figure out how to turn it down, and I'm pawing at the dash, hoping some secret panel of controls is going to pop into view, but when the dash popped, the only thing revealed was a spot for your cell phone.

It's all controlled on the screen, people. That screen isn't just there to entertain you with statistics of how much energy you're using, and how much you've regained. (Hint: slamming on the brakes = high score in the battery recharging game!) Yes, push another button, and a display so big your blind Aunt Bessie could read it from the back seat shows you all the radio stations you've preset, along with their names. Another push and a rather dauntingly button-rich panel pops up to control the "climate". A little of the ol' red=hot, blue=cold would have definitely helped make that screen look less like a sea of boxes. As such, I am now sending my request for more use of colors backwards through time to the Prius designers, and expect to see improvements by the next time I rent one.

Fest Fatigue

Every year, the film festival gets started with such high hopes. Every year, there are disappointments. Usually, those disappointments are movies that suck. This year, it was the schedule.

First, I am too busy. I don't know why I even bought that 10 pass of tickets. I didn't see any movies for the entire first week, and I still wouldn't actually have finished the pack if not for the assistance of Meng and Steven. Jane, I feel your pain.

Second, an offshoot of the first, the movies I want to see keep selling out! The Corporation? It's a 2 and a half hour documentary, folks! Don't you have some french horror movie to see instead? Otaku Unite? There were so many good movies on Saturday! Why did you all have to see the one I wanted to see?

But, I did get to see 3 movies so far, with Singles tonight and You Can't Stop the Murders on Wednesday. Maybe I will even get away to see Please Teach Me English tomorrow, if everything else goes smoothly. Making it to campus at 5pm. Yes, that will be a breeze.

Speaking of campus, when did smocking become an acceptable dress option for anyone over the age of 6? I definitely saw a girl at Penn this weekend wearing a floral print dress with a 6 inch band of smocking across the top.

Prom, crew and birthdays

This has been possibly the busiest weekend ever. Except I didn't get much accomplished.

Friday night was prom. I found a date the week before, a dress the day before, and a ride the day of. Besides that, prom was rockin'. Oh and the tons and tons of pictures we took. That was not so cool. We were in this huge, and when I say huge I mean gianormous, limo. It fit 20 people, so it was like the size of a school bus. It was quite a skeptical, two of the neighbors came to check out the scene. It had TVs, coolers, a stereo system, changing lights...It was big pimpin' (but that phrase didn't just come out of my mouth so keep it on the dl) Prom was at the Crystal Tea room, which was pretty swank. The food was kind of gross, but my date seemed to like the meatloaf, I mean steak. Dessert was non-existent, except for the little plate of stuff they brought for the table. I ate this big cream puff in one bite...reigning champ! They played too much rap, but it was still a lot of fun.

Saturday I woke up bright and early to make it to 8:30 practice. Then I went out for pizza with my friends. Then the units and I jetted off to Sara's race, which she dominated in. Then I came home, sat around for awhile until everyone showed up. We went out for Indian food, which isn't comparable to Vinnie T's but whatever floats people's boats. Sara saved my birthday by making me a cake and buying me presents, all of which were very nice/ tasty. I was tired so I went to bed.

Today, I got to sleep which was a good deal. I went to Sara's race, and then to mine. I dfled (dead fing last for non-rowers), and Sara came in third. So now my weekend doesn't seem so busy, but it felt like it was.

Film Fest... it's time.

My picks. Mail me if you want to go see 'em.

Azumi
Bright Young Things
Buddy
The Classic
The Control Room
Double Agent
The Five Obstructions
Free Radicals
Hair High
A Holy Experiment
I'm Not Scared
Imelda
Miffo
Orwell Rolls in his Grave
Otaku Unite!
Please Teach Me English
A Problem With Fear
Singles
A Slipping Down Life
A Talking Picture
Traveling Light
Valentin
Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself

This list compiled from memory. Some omissions may have been made. If there's something you want to see that fits my selection criteria, let me know.