mmm... I love DSL. it's sooo fast. heheh.. I came home to Torrance and I get to use my daddy's computer and his internet connection instead of my slow modem. ahh.. wonderfulness.

Anyways.. this week has seemed like it passed by so fast! Maybe it's because I was really only here for half of it.. but still. It was weird.. I was dropping Sakura off at the airport on Thursday, and we both realized that a week before that she had been dropping me off at the airport, but it totally didn't seem like a week had passed. Like you know on those sci-fi shows where people time-warp and then when they return back to their present time it's like no time has passed? I think that's kinda how I felt. Aside from missing the info from class, I felt like nothing had really changed or happened in the 6 days I was gone, and that no one really noticed that I wasn't there, (except for my dad who called 3 times on a rarity... the one weekend I'm not home he calls like a madman.. go figure.) It's quite strange... anyways.. for those of you who care (and for myself) here are my recounts of my awesome trip to Mardi Gras. :)

THURSDAY~ Sakura drives me to the airport at the buttcrack of dawn so that I can try and catch any flight I can out to Baton Rouge. Since I'm doing the whole buddy pass thing through Ann, it's way cheap.. but it's all on standby :(.. Anyways.. there's a super long line for the security check because.. I don't know what they're doing but the line was backed up forever and a day.. so I had to wait around an hour just to get through security. Needless to say I missed the 7am flight.. which was full anyways. Waited for the 9:30 flight... and read some, and slept in between... I did meet some guys who were going to Baton Rouge too for Mardi Gras, and were using the buddy pass thing.. so we chatted a bit. In Houston I got a seat of the flight easy.. and almost gave it up because the one of the guys I met got a ticket, but his friend didn't, so I was going to let them have mine so that they could stay together, especially because Nick wanted me to come in later anyways.. but since the tickets were given out by the list of priority I couldn't just automatically give his friend the ticket, so I left. I hope they made it! Anyways.. I made it to Baton Rouge and Mary came to pick me up... yay!! Although it was quite humorous. She parked and since you're not really allowed to leave your car she sort of looked for me, but didn't see me since I was down the street. And I saw her, but didn't want to look like an idiot and act like it was Mary if it wasn't and waited for her to come closer to me, which she couldn't. So we both stood around looking for each other, while another guy completely confused us both because he was looking for another person named Mary who he was supposed to be picking up. Finally we found each other.. I went to the LSU Circle K meeting complete with an ice cream social.. yay! And then chilled back at Ant's apartment later on. Ate chicken fingers from Canes... (sooo good), and then went with Nick and Mary to pick up Kathleen. Hung out a little more back at Ant's apartment and went back to Nick's.

FRIDAY~ We woke up late, and Nick came back from class and Kathleen and I went to lunch with Nick and Alanna. We watched them argue about lunch (which is almost as humorous as watching Ryan and Beth fight.. hahaha) and finally went to Hooters for lunch. I was kinda excited cuz I had never been there before and I had always heard about their buffalo wings. I finally got to try the infamous wings and they were sooooo good.. yum.. I definitely need to go back. Although the ambiance isn't really my scene.. it's okay. But it did help that I got to watch Pete Sampras play tennis on one of the TV's that was way exciting. We met up with Todd and rolled around town for a bit.. went back to Nick's and watched movies (yay The Cutting Edge!). Got ready for the party at Jason's house but ended up staying in really late because we got hooked on watching the Olympic Opening Ceremonies!! And the ironic part is that we stayed because we really wanted to see the lighting of the torch, but we left before that because it was dragging on too long and didn't even see it. What nerds we are. Anyways.. Alanna, Kathleen and I went to Jason's, ate some etoufee and rice and some pig and chit chatted here and there. I got to see Jason's gorgeous house and his "wing" of the house.. haha.. yeah.. serious. It was chill though, nothing too wild. Went back with Nick and Kathleen and we had a slumber party in his living room, complete with "girl talk." hehe

SATURDAY~ Ant and Cullen refused to let us waste our time in Louisiana and kidnapped us and Kathleen and I went with them and Todd down to New Orleans. We ate lunch at G's and met up with Ant's sister and her friend. We also met Ant's twin brother who works at G's.. haha.. they're so cool.. i love twins! Anyways.. went to the City, walked at the Riverwalk mall, watched the fudge making show, bought some stuff, played at the Sharper Image in the massage chairs (hehe) and then met up with Erin D and Ashley and some other people and went to the streets of New Orleans to watch my first Mardi Gras parade! Mary met up with us, and graciously provided us with drinks. The first parade was Endymion, and Jason Alexander was the Grand Marshall. It was pretty cool. It was funny though because the second big float that came around us made too wide of a turn and couldn't get all the way around because they would have knocked over a fire hydrant. (oops) haha.. so after we watched them try to fix the float for 30 minutes, they finally just re-routed the parade around us (sucks for us) and so everyone ran up to the float and asked for beads. Although the guys at the top level were throwing them down, the guys on the bottom level wanted something for their beads... i.e. nekkid boobies. And when girls were unsure of whether or not they wanted to do it, I heard one man say "come on... it's not like you're going to see me ever again." And so she pulled up her shirt and he took a picture (well, he and the 5 guys around him) and she got her beads. The scarier part is that all the people in the parades were wearing masks... so really you don't know who these men are, and what they look like. You could be in the supermarket and the man you flashed could walk by you and in his head could be like "I saw your boobies" and you would never know the difference.. ew. And plus there's pictures and video tape of you flashing people.. and who knows where they'll end up. hahah.. Anyways.. after that.. we all went down to Bourbon Street, where all of us held hands to not get lost in the crazy and wild crowd. Dodged past the bible-thumpers who held up signs of people burning in hell, and used their mega-phones to try and tell people not to indulge themselves in sin. I wonder if that actually made anyone change their mind. And that's what Mardi Gras is supposed to be about... indluging yourself and then repenting for your sins on Ash Wednesday... at least that's what my professor said. :) So it must be true right? But yeah.. the crowd on Bourbon was crazy as people said it would be.. we were all packed in like herding cows and girls in the balconies above us were flashing all parts of their bodies.. hehe.. it was kinda like TJ! But lo and behold, the crowd stops at the balcony that has the "Girls Gone Wild" banners hanging from it so that all the guys can pull out their cameras and video recorders again (joy). But I suppose the people in the back got upset that the crowd has stopped moving and started pushing forward.. the crowd started racing forward in every direction, and it was like a Running of the Bulls, my feet weren't even touching the ground and I was going forward. And I had to let go of Kathleen's hand, but I got pushed forward past them and grabbed on to Cullen's hand (who was in the front of the line) and still had Mary in my other hand and was being pushed while I was facing backwards. And between Mary and I was this huge black guy who's stomach was the length of my arm. We was propelling us forward as well and crushing my arm in the process. My poor arm still as bruises from his beads digging into my arm.. :(. Anyways.. we pulled off to aide street and had managed to lose 3 people so we sat around and waited for them to find us. Thank goodness for the cell phones. Even though it was madness I still think it was great. It wasn't nearly as bad as the Incubus or Sum41 concerts.. but I guess that's because there weren't people crowd surfing and kicking me in the head :P I wanted to go back on to Bourbon Street but almost everyone wanted to go home, and it put me in a sour mood enough to not want to stay anymore but Mary totally cheered me up and we sang Disney songs at the top of our lungs driving back to Ant's house in New Orleans.

SUNDAY~ The next morning was interesting.. haha. I woke up quite tired and had to take a shower... so I get in the shower, and I fell. :( There were none of those sticky things on the shower floor and as I turned to wet my hair, my feet lost their grip and I feel. I was really embarassed and of course I was the running joke of the day. Good thing I'm good at laughing at myself (I've had lots of practice). After I was done I came out and ate breakfast and Charles went to go shave and get ready. I asked him if he wanted to borrow my Raspberry shaving cream and you know what he said? He goes "sure.. maybe then I could get all lubed up and slip and fall like you" That was only joke #1.. but everyone was laughing and I was so shocked that someone had come up with something so witty that quickly. He's more sarcastic than Kimmy.. hehe.. it's great. Charles is the funniest guy ever and I just constanly laughed all that day. So that day Mary and Charles and I cruised around New Orleans. We went to see Thoth, which was a parade that this guy Matt, Jason and their DA Lenny Simmons (yes.. Richard Simmons brother Ü) were riding in. It was so cute though because Matt both this big huge teddy bear and was going to try and throw the bear to her.. awww. After that we went back to downtown, at the same place we were yesterday and got ready to watch Bacchus were Nicolas Cage was the Grand Marshall. But sitting around and waiting was not so much fun, so Mary and I shot the rest of the Taaka that we had, and went to go cruise on Bourbon St. while it was not so mad and so I could actually see it. We went to Pat O'Brien's and I got a Hurricane as I was advised to do and went back to the parade route. The Taaka and the Hurricane totally did me in and while I was walking back it hit me... so when I went to back to the parade spot, I wasn't necessarily surly, but I guess... just really happy. :) hehheeh.. We stood around, talked, waved and cheered at the float people to throw us beads, and chilled. It started to get really cold and really windy (which totally aggravated my contacts) and so Mary and I decided to go back to Baton Rouge.. (especially because Mary wanted to shower ... since she hadn't originally planned on spending the night in New Orleans.. hehe sounds like me at Go West!) We drove back ... and I spent the night at Mary's house.

MONDAY~ We met up with Nick and Alanna and ate at Mike Anderson's Seafood Restaurant, which was excellent, and I also got to meet Mary's sister Frannie who works there. Then went on a tour of the LSU campus, met Mike their live bengal tiger who lives on their campus and goes to all their basketball games and stuff. He was having a lazy afternoon napping in the sunlight. :) That night I had a couple of different options, I wanted to hang out with Jason.. that didn't happen. And then we were going to drive to Lafayette and see Charles, but he had to go out with his family. So then Nick, Alanna, Mary and I just went out by our happy-selves... but of course not before we went with Nick to go buy his proper equipment for his new cell phone that he had drooled all over all afternoon. I swear.. boys and their toys.. :P Anyways.. we ate dinner at the Chimes, including some drinks. :) Went to the Daiquiri Mart and got some of that, and then went back to Nick's. Where we watched the Olympics (the pairs figure skating.. yes yes.. we all know about that one), and then Bridget Jone's Diary, and the half of Clerks before we fell asleep.

TUESDAY~ The next day I toured Downtown Baton Rouge, saw all the historical stuff, and the state capital and the governor's mansion.. it's HUGE... dude.. I want to be governor ... or president.. hehe.. how fun would that be to live in the White House? Anyways.. had lunch at Semolina's.. a really good italian restaurant... cruised a little bit around town some more, went to the mall, and then Nick and Mary dropped me off at the airport. Sad.. my trip was over :( I easily got on my flights.. (thank goodness) and went back to San Diego. Where I gained two hours .. which was nice, and Derek and Tricia picked me up. Came home, tried to settle back into my room and slept for the next day.

The rest of the week was a little bit of a blur... pop quiz on Foucault on Wednesday morning in my Museums and Zoos class. Class class class, nothing too eventful. Thursday... Valentine's day.. I just kinda bummed around wrapped up cards and candies and wasted my whole day. oh well.. it was a good time. Friday.. class class class, Kiwanis Luncheon, work at the Basketball games. It was fun because it was Spirit Night.. although it was a really poor turnout.. less than 800 people showed up.. I guess because it was a three day weekend. But I did get to see Kristen dance in her sexy little costume at the dance team performance. It was great... I wish I could do stuff like that. Saw this guy almost win $20,000 in the halftime shootout because he made the half-court shot on the first try!! Amazing! He just didn't make the three-pointer.. sad. I really want to see someone win that before I graduate. Ken was probably having a heart attack when he made that first shot. haha.. Saturday I volunteered with Hailes for Circle K at Habitat Restore. The same people who do Habitat for Humanity, have like this wherehouse where they sell home stuff. It's kinda like a pic 'n' save version of Home Depot. But we got to measure the size of the doors and label them for the customers. It was fun, we got free pizza and this guy get coming by and asking us if we were done and if we could organize the carpet section. hahah.. yeah right.. he asked us while we had just measured like 15 doors and had two more aisles to go. And the people who were in the carpet section "working" were sitting around chillin' and talking. umm.. I don't think so. Anyways.. Hailes and I talked.. mostly about his rabid obsession for Dark Age of Camelot.. some computer game.. and how he just wanted to play all the time. He said he stocked up on food because he knew he wasn't going to leave the house and just play all weekend, and that he really needed to go grocery shopping because even his back-up supplies had been eaten. And that he wouldn't mind where he left as long as he had a food souce, a nice home and high speed internet so he could play his computer games. hahaha.. this boy is hilarious.. I was laughing so hard my stomach started to hurt. Finally we went home, I showered and then got dressed for work again.. another 4 hours of my life. We played CSLA.. (yeah.. where did the U go?) And afterwards drove back to Torrance to hang out with my daddy :).. although I was quite tired and around Long Beach started to get quite sleepy and wanted to fall asleep in my car. I would have called someone to keep me awake but I think I was too tired to even do that. But I got home safely :) Saturday my daddy and Eric and I went to the Sizzler.. yum, and then chilled at home.. it was a nice relaxing day. I love my daddy.. he's the only one who will put up with my constant fussing and entertain me and make me smile. And within reason... he treats me like a total princess. He let me choose where to go for lunch, bought me a new burner just because, fixed my computer up all nice, and cooked what I wanted for dinner. And right now he's out buying stuff to make me dumplings for lunch. Ü I don't think I'm spoiled in the sense that I have a lot of nice things, and I get my way all the time. For example.. he wouldn't let me drive to Nicole's house last night because it was too late and too far. But within reason I'm very well loved and my daddy likes to see me happy. He is also a very funny monkey and makes me laugh lots. He's the greatest.. and anyone who's met him will agree.. I'm such a daddy's girl :) Like he called me three times while I was in Lousiana, and when I finally called him back he was all like "where are you?" And I told him where I had went, he wasn't so much mad but more like that I should tell him where I'm going because he was concerned with my well-being.. how great is that? hehe.. He just is really thoughtful and cares a lot about me, and wants me to be happy. And I guess that's where I get a lot of my personality traits from. Because making other people happy makes me happy. :) Anyways.. enough gushing... Today and tomorrow I have to buckle down and be studious. I have a paper due on Wednesday and some other papers that I should probably start. Yikes.. but I do get to see my sister today.. and my mommy's coming home from Taiwan and we're just going to have a family pow-wow I suppose. :) But last night after finally debating on who was going to drive where... Beth came over, and Nicole went to bed, and we watched "Midnight Tease" hahahaha and then went to the Kettle .. where THEY DID NOT HAVE HONEY BRAN MUFFINS. I was quite upset because that's all that I really wanted. We gawked (or mostly I gawked) at the cute boys who came in .. cutie beach boys.. :) and then took a walk on the pier where Beth completely freaked me out with her scary stories.. I hate her. "what are you going to do... push me again?" Yikes.. not to mention the fact aht it was 3am and super dark and super scary.. ew.. I hate Beth. :P There was also some sort of trouble around my middle school and the park next to it because when we left there was a helicopter with a search light, and when we came back there were many many police cars blocking off the streets. We probably looked really suspicious driving around trying to figure out what was going on, or just like nuisances. hehe.. But it was a good time.. I really do wish that I lived a lot closer so that Beth and Nicole and I could go play all the time. hehe.. I just wish all of my friends lived all in the same complex and we could just chill everyday.. nevermind that they're spread out all over the country. :P But it's definitely been a good weekend, and tons of fun.. and now it's time for studying.. yuck.

Happy President's Day kids!