I Am a Hufflepuff - 8.24.2011

This morning we hit a bit of a rough patch. It was too late to go to Malbork and still have time to see things there by the time any decision was made, and my mom got emotional and it was tense until my sister came up with the idea to go to the park in Oliwa.

We walked there, because why not? It took us an hour and fifteen minutes. It started thundering around the one hour mark, and my mom really just wanted to take cover. We did take one picture, but it ended up being the only one. We went to the big greenhouse to look around for a few minutes before heading over to the cathedrale for the organ demonstration. It was very cool. When we went to the Mozartiana finale, I thought the horns and things on the organs might just be decorations for the event, and if not just decorations in general. But the horns move and the wheels spin and the hands ring the bells. Watching it was sweet, and the music was good as well.

It had been pouring for a few minutes while we were in there, but it was only sprinkling when we left. We ended up going to the museum there, which was my favorite museum by far. It wasn't just dark portraits and things for the 19th century. There were lots of contemporary pieces (though also some works from the 1800s) that were cool to look at it. Yeah. T'was nice.

When we left, it was really coming down. My mom got pissed when the umbrella I had was too small for both me and her and we couldn't find a taxi and she didn't want to walk around during a thunderstorm. Eventually, however, we circled back to in front of the cathedrale. My mom snapped at the guy using the pay phone after a few mintues of standing there, but he turned out to be very helpful despite her mood. He told us how to work the phone, and when we didn't have a phone card he used his mobile phone (it's cheaper to call Russia from the pay phone, did you know?) to call us an inexpensive taxi. My mom apologized for her rudeness and we made it home just fine.

At home, we ate dinner and the sat around for a few hours. Finally, at five, my mom and I went for a walk on the beach. My sister didn't want to come, as she was tired and had been having stomach issues all day. On the way there my mom apologized for her recent behavoir and explained it slightly. I told her the short version of what I'm about to tell you now.

I'm in Europe. Plain and simple, I. Am. In. Europe. I'm on an expensive vacation, trotting around foreign countries, sight-seeing and eating. I am lucky. I recognize that many people can't take vacations like this. Just the fact that I am here makes me happy. Sure, I have my complaints. But no matter how much I may miss having internet access 24/7, I'm just so lucky to have this opportunity, especially because this is my 3rd trip to the area. God forbid I don't have a good time.

Then my mom made some comments that sealed the deal of my Hufflepuff-ness, and we walked to the pier to use the internet.

My mom's now basically decided to give up on going to Malbork after the bus service website was being difficult. I'm sorry she made that decision, not because I was dying to go (I don't really know anything about it), but because she seemed to really want to go. She said it was a huge dissapointment, but she also said that she really wanted my sister and I to see it, like she wanted my brother and I to see it two years ago, and that she'll live. She said we're young and can come back. I said it could be incentive (insentive?) for her to come back, because she's said earlier in the trip that she'd probably never come back after this trip.

She made more comments that stamped me forever as a Hufflepuff.

We stopped at the supermarkter on the way back for toothpaste, of which we bought none, though I bought a generous amount of Prince Polos as it's time I begin to binge-buy candy to eat after I get home.
Then I studied some French and ate, and now I'm here.

Oh, so I finished Hour Game this morning. Like I've said, it was a very good book. I enjoyed reading it immensely, and I'm thinking about reading more books by the author. The reason that I'm thinking about it rather than planning to take action about it is because I'm a bit too easily made paranoid for murder mysteries. Last night I kept glancing over my shoulder in the basement shower, and got deep into thought about murder and death.

I don't really remember exactly what I wanted to say about death. I tried to get my mind off it afterwards so that I wouldn't be so paranoid. I know that I wanted to say that the idea of murder scares me. Like those stabbings that happen in the streets at night. Imagine walking, maybe with a friend, maybe alone, maybe drunk, maybe laughing, and then suddenly you're stabbed. Maybe you feel the knife slice through your skin...
I don't want to talk about it. It makes me queasy and paranoid and emotional. People have different opinions about death. There was the guy Alaska Young quoted in Looking For Alaska by John Green, the quote being, "Damn it! How will I ever get out of this labrynth?" They were somebody's last words, though I can remember whose. Alaska had her way, which was "straight and fast." But not everyone is trying to get out of the labrynth. Some are content to wander the halls, catching life's throws and juggling their destiny. Of course, they'll eventually find a way out. But choosing for someone? I know I don't want to get out straight and fast. I'm content to wander.

Of course, now I'm paranoid of everything I say, especially to the blog, thanks to Eddie Battle of Hour Game. It's weird how a few days ago I talked about how comfortable I am talking to my blog, and now I'm wondering if the things I say here could get me killed.

This is why I'm only thinking about reading more of David Baldacci's books, folks.

Anyway, while basically everything else in the book pleased me, the pacing was a bit irksome. It moved too quickly at first, and then when I got used to it it slowed right back down and had me flying through the pages for more. As paranoid and squeamish as I am, I began to anticipate the next move of the serial killer more than annything else in the story.

I think I'll head off to bed now.

PoKEMON StATS

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Spring Break and Other Semi-Related Things

I often dream about having a lot of followers, but maybe it's a good thing I don't. I gained one and suddenly I have no idea what to write (okay, that's no surprise) out of shyness (that's the surprise).

So hi. It's raining, it's spring break, and Easter is in a week. How are you? :D

The thing about breaks from school is that they never feel like a break until it's Tuesday. I spend the entire weekend like a would a regular weekend since my family never goes anywhere for our week-long breaks, and I can't wrap my head around the fact that it's break. Come Monday I'm still not convinced because we have Monday's off often enough. It sinks in around Tuesday. So right now, it still feels like a regular weekend.

I'm not looking forward to this break as much as I did the last one. I have a homework assignment for English due the day back, a huge project due for English May 2nd, and a large project for English due May 23rd. Plus I'm re-addicted to Sims and we're having guests for Easter.

In situations like this, I often say "stress monkeys." I don't know why. I just do. Fear the stress monkeys.

-awkward silence-

Well, then. Sims? :D

Tessa gave birth to a wholly hideous son. Seriously. His nose legitimately looks like a pig nose. I'm hoping it'll stay the same as he grows so it'll look mildly in proportion, but until then he's disgusting. I got Tessa knocked up again in hopes of a more attractive child as well as just because I wanted to. Things were looking bright for adorable Charleigh Larkofski. Until she became a toddler.

Same. Freaking. Pig. Nose.

This is the last time I'm spending so much time tweaking facial features for a Sim. It clearly has had a very negative affect. I'm not sure which Sim I'm going to marry now that they are both so ugly. In the end, one will get married and have two kids and blah blah blah while the other lives out a lonely life caring for the kids when needed and raking in a steady income. Like a boss.

I expanded the house a lot more, and the family's cash is dwindling. It's at around 4,000 at the moment, I believe. Aspiration meters are dangerously low and tempers are quick to snap. Jonathan works Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from 11 pm to 4 am, which was a wonderful parenting arrangement until I discovered the terrible affects on his life. I'm going to need to get him promoted, which is a pain because not only will I probably have to hire a maid while the children are still children, but the Slacker careers require your Sims to have tons of friends.

And I hate making them have friends. There's no time. D:

Not, of course, implying that I'm socially awkward or anything.

Heh.