So, turkey time is drawing to a close. I got a lot done!

College App Update Time!

USC / School of Cinematic Arts
100% Done!! Submitted both my general app & cinematic app. Feels GREAT to be done with the massive essays and portfolios and crap. :D My transcripts & scores are in, and burris sent in his letter. If all mail is received according to schedule, i am all good.

Hampshire College
90% Done! All extra shenanigans have been sent, but my supplement... Well... Let's... just say I'm on the last few short answers, and I'm trying very very hard to sound interesting, witty, and intelligent. And not pretentious. And not dry. D: In other words, I am trying SO HARD not to half-ass this. I just have editing left, though. So... good.

Bard College
85% Done! All additions sent, all good. Just the final, analytical essay left. BUT! I have a PLAN. This plan entails using my Newman midterm paper as my essay... which, coincidentally, is due the week before I plan to submit my app.

Arizona State
100% Done!! Just waiting for mail to arrive. (:

University of Oregon
60% Done! Just the essay. The ever-looming essay. ):

An Amusing Side Note: Columbia University
What? Columbia? I'm never going to get in there! But you know what? You never know. The only thing I have that doesn't meet requirements is my GPA, and hey, my GPA sucks. Even for ASU. Fortunately, I have the brains, scores, and writin' skills to make up for it. So, y'know what? Why not add a reach school to my list? (: After all, their due date is January 4th. I have plenty of time after my Hampshire app. I just have to double-time it with my Bard one.



So! All that aside. How was my thanksgiving?

Well... the usual. Enduring my far-right immediate relatives, enjoying seeing the democrat side of my family, lots of delicious food, the lot. Oh, funny thing: I was being coerced into seeing/visiting/applying to Salve Regina. What's that, you ask? Oh, just a Catholic college in Newport whose intake ACT scores range from 22 - 26. OH YEAH SOUNDS LIKE THE PLACE FOR ME

Uhm on a nicer note: Visited Hampshire, Smith, Amherst, UMass Amherst, and Mount Holyoke (guess whose idea THAT one was). Smith had a beautiful, beautiful campus, and if it weren't an all-girl school, I'd apply immediately. Of course, the advantage of attending Hampshire is that I can take classes at all the above schools! YAY. :D

Amherst is a darling little town. I like it a lot.

Flying back tomorrow afternoon. I kinda miss home. And by "home", I mean my west coast sleeping schedule, a steady internet connection, my xbox 360, and friends.

How many days til Christmas? =P

Let me tell y'all youngins somethin' bout tryna make it in the gamin' industry!

I'm hardly a veteran of the industry, so I feel a bit odd proselytizing to all y'alls, but with my (admittedly limited) experience working, coupled with being surrounded by insane industry giants and hanging around studios all day, I think I can safely say this:

Being female is not an automatic in. Just because you're a girl doesn't mean that game design studios are going to clamor over you. You're going to need not only a knowledge of how things work - at least a basic understanding of game mechanics - but also (even just a little) talent, and skill. You know how many people want to work in the industry? Companies aren't going to choose the prettier candidate. They're gonna go with the one who's better equipped. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PROVE YOU'RE "JUST AS GOOD AS THE GUYS", OR BETTER.

Just, y'know, friendly advice. So next time someone asks you if you own The Orange Box, don't think you can get away with saying "Orange box of what?" Having tits doesn't excuse your idiocy.





Oh, this extends to GameStop employees too. GameStop, what the fuck? I know your new cashier is hot as balls, but she doesn't know jack about games! In fact, that's where I got the Orange Box joke from! Don't look at me blankly and tell me I can pre-order Warcraft 3 when I ask you for it! DO YOU KNOW WHAT YEAR THIS IS? DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT WARCRAFT 3 IS?! "I don't think it's out yet," you said. I was literally too stunned to correct you, so I just wandered away from the counter and found it myself.

Seriously, fuck you.





All right, now I'm done being angry. It's just... I get so annoyed with girls who think they're entitled to a job, and people who think girls have it made, because... I'm not even sure why. Look, I had to work incredibly hard to get where I am, so don't blow it off and say I only got my job / experience / etc because I'm a girl.

Ugh I need to calm down.

In other news, last week's Glee? OH EM GEE. D: Quinn is really starting to grow on me.

good morning y'all

i wish i could go back to sleep ):

that is all.

In which we all get flying cars!

Erm.

Tony's visiting the coming thursday and staying til sunday! Oughta be fun. He's trying to get the keys to his house in Mount Charleston for kickback purposes. (:

I got my cinematic app done, though I'm stressing over minor details. Someone stop meeee

I fired up WoW for the first time in a month today. Wow (no pun intended). It feels great to be back, especially reuniting with guildies. (: I MISSED YOU GOBS & MOON & HAYES. Hayes why did you quit the guild you make me sad ): I'm really excited for Cataclysm. Totally running out to get it the minute it comes out because GODDAMN, VICTORIAN WEREWOLVES FOR THE WIN.

In other gamin' news, BIOSHOCK 2 EARLY 2010 YESSSSS. Though to be honest, I'm more excited about Fallout: New Vegas. Because you know what? I love Fallout. And I live in Vegas. It's like a double whammy. That's scheduled for sometime after Q1 2010, so... I'll be patient.

It's getting way cold now. ): Past "comfortably cool" into "sweet jesus i'm getting cryogenically frozen".

Uhmmm let's see. I REALLY MISS SCOTLAND. Like, a lot. Like, a LOT a lot. I had tons of fun while I was there, but it's being here without our own flat and no more R&G and no more fudge and turkish delight and no more Gingers the Musical that I really, really miss it. ): Not just Edinburgh itself, but all the people and all the things we did! /sigh.

Anyway.

That's all for now, I guess. It's getting late. I probably have stats work to do. Ew.

Sweet Charity cast list came! Lesson learned: Do not audition for a girl part. I ended up being a dancer (read: "dancer") and Cop #1. Haha. Honestly, I didn't expect much, so I can't complain - I couldn't have gotten Herman anyway because I did the girl audition. Also, I can't sing.

On the plus side, I got my game design printed at Kinko's and it is the pimpingest. THE pimpingest. I'm so uber pleased! I should get my full cinematic app in by mid next week.

Uhmmm what else? Theatre club movie night (not sleepover) tonight, so that oughta be fun.

I'm typing this in Gov now, so I really dunno what I'm up to.

OH YEAH Victor got Oscar!! :DDD I'm super proud of him. Funnily enough, his girlfriend Amanda got Helene. Awkward.

I'm in a bizarre mood. Hah.

I'm going to update regularly! Yay!

So what's going on this week? No school tomorrow (Wednesday), not entirely sure why, but hey, I'm not complaining. Probably gonna stay at home and work on my apps. Probably gonna get my game design doc done tomorrow... and then get it printed & bound at Kinko's!! YAY!!

Thursday & Friday: Sweet Charity auditions in the morning. Eeeeee. I've been practicing the song & dance, and I *think* I have it down. THINK. I really hope Amanda gets to be Charity - she doesn't want the part, but it would be so awesome. She totally deserves it, even though she's a sophomore =P

Pretty sure I'm helping Randi out with her Chapman film app on Thursday. She's got this bomb idea for her self-narrated thingy and I'm acting in it. :3

Honestly I'd be out burning my weekend with Palmer & Chipotle this week but honestly, apps are killing me. No time for fun. ): /cry

...Think there's a game this Friday though. I may go. Just so I get out of the house. Haha.

Uhmmmmmm that's my week for ya. /: I'm super excited about getting my game design done though. It's 73 pages. Bleargghhhhh

Also CoD: Modern Warfare 2 tomorrow YEEEEAAAHHHH

I wish I could be more entertaining, but college apps ate my soul.


ANDI'S MAGICAL COLLEGE PROGRESS-O-METER!! YAYYYYY

USC
50% Complete! I submitted my general application, my SAT scores, and my ACTs. I just need to send my transcript, AP scores, letters of recommendation, and OH YEAH A GIGANTIC CINEMATIC ARTS SUPPLEMENT.
"But Andi!", you say. "Surely your interactive media app can't be that bad!" To that I say: Read this.
Also, my game design doc is officially 73 pages. REPPIN

HAMPSHIRE
70% Complete!
Sent in my Common App and ACT scores! Now, all I need is AP scores, transcript, letter of rec, shit-ton of short answers, and an analytical essay. Luckily, I think I can double up my Bard essay for this.

BARD
80% Complete!
Nothin' but AP scores, transcript, and letters of rec left. :D Oh except for my analytical essay. I haven't the faintest idea what to write about. ):

ASU
90% Complete! Safety school for the win! Just AP scores, transcripts, letter left. Nothing more from me!

U OF OREGON
80% Complete! Whoa, college outta nowhere right? I decided to apply here last minute. Basically I'm almost done, but I need to re-tweak my essay a lot.




P.S. I love my ACT score. It's a 32, and I got perfect scores in both English sections. <3

I'm leaning very, very heavily towards going to Hampshire (that is, if I don't get into the Interactive Media program at USC). It's just... I think I'd be really, really happy there. It's just my kind of place. (:


Now... back to work. /sigh. ):


OH WAIT NO THERE'S MORE. Sweet Charity auditions are this week! Oh boy oh boy. I hope I get to be Daddy or something badass like that. we're learning the dance from Rich Man's Frug (with the original Fosse choreography) and have to sing There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This, as well as Rhythm of Life.


i have a monster fucking headache right now
ow ow ow

Friends-locked post you might want to read imminent. =P

There's a certain smug satisfaction in submitting an amazing college essay, knowing you'll get into the school you want, while your mother freaks out about OMG YOU'RE NEVER GETTING INTO COLLEGE WITH THOSE GRADES/ACCOMPLISHMENTS/ATTITUDE/ESSAY.

Because, y'know, having completed my general application and the Common App, 2 months before any deadlines for any of my schools, means I'm horribly, horribly off-track.

Oh man, see you in Hampshire you guys. :D

Also, school started a glee club. I'd join, but I can't sing for jack. I think they're starting with Don't Stop Believing.


JUST A SMALL TOWN GIRL





LIVING IN A LOOONELY WOOOOOOORLD

I just found my old Xanga.

Fun times abound. Watch this space.

All in all? Kinda underwhelming.

Ken was feeling sick, so he showed up a half hour late. We drove to zach's, where much of what zach does went down. Mike's date was this incredibly annoying girl who constantly talked really, really loudly about really inane stuff you shouldn't mention in public. Anyway, the limo was half an hour late, so we got to Osaka really late. Then, they made us sit for an hour, until we demanded we be served because we're goddamn late for crap. At this point, Ken felt really sick and had an infernally high fever, so he went home (read: we all forced him to go rest because if he dies, we're screwed). It took Osaka two hours in total to finish giving us our like 5 pieces of chicken. After that, we all piled back onto the bus, rushing to the dance. By the time we got there, the big bus full of seniors was about leaving. Why? Because we got there at 10. Dance ends at 11. It was just a bunch of freshmen, and some juniors, who didn't dance. Oh, and it was in the middle school commons. We left at 10:30 for zach's again. Cue me feeling incredibly sick, because a) osaka can NOT cook steak properly, and b) I completely underestimated the potency of what we had. So yeah, half of us were passed out, I was on a whole different plane of pain, and whatsherface just kept jabbering away like she was on something, even though she hadn't done anything mind-altering at all. Everyone eventually left for AJ's party, but franco and palmer and chris and zach stayed behind to make sure I wasn't dying. So after a while, I felt better, franco drove me home (at like 12. sad, yes), and then they all went to AJ's, which apparently was "meh".

Woo that was a long story.

Anyway I'm done here. It was a waste of a nice dress and pretty make-up and professionally done hair. Sigh. ):

Spent the day decorating for Homecoming! You should see the senior hallway. It boats a mural of Deadpool beating up the Joker, as well as being dolled up as the Batcave and the Fortress of Solitude on the other end. Wooooo. Pictures totally inc.

Pretty much the best theme ever.

So I started reading The God Delusion. It is FABULOUS and I want to have Dawkins' children.

I seriously need to get my ass in gear about my USC app. Man. I keep worrying I'm not good enough.

/sigh

Anyhow.

Listen to the Obadiah Parker cover of Outkast's Hey Ya. It's great.

I'm so excited to go to college, but funnily enough, I'm excited to keep living out senior year. Man... this is fun.

Except for the part where my boyfriend is in LA. ):

Okay I literally cannot keep away. I just thought of lots more to say.

Coincidentally, I was just asked to homecoming like a few seconds ago. Tony can't make it so I'm goin' with friends. (: My dress is so very pretty! It's from paper doll productions, and has an 80s monsters print on it. I shall have to take pictures! Also, my bus has been labeled as "the high bus", and ranks above "the drunk bus", "the dry bus", and "the makeout bus". We're not actually dumb enough to smoke *on* the bus. At least, I hope not...

I'm actually very excited for homecoming! Not only because WOOOO SENIORS WOOOOO, but it's gonna be fun. It'll be my last one! Not as big as Prom, but I'm sure it'll be just as great.

I really want to go to a show, but NOTHING is going on. I mean it. Local shows have gotten lamer, no one's touring, and though the Reverend Horton Heat is playing (!) soon, they're touring with Motorhead. What. |:

Oh yeah got my ACT results back. 32 - not what I wanted, but hey. I didn't even finish the math section. So I guess that's good?

The school renfair is on Friday and I have to do this dance for it (aaaahhh). Yay theatre tiemz. And then I'm heading to atech's board game night. So yay for Monopoly with Mitch and getting my FAIL stamp (yes, he made me a literal stamp that says FAIL on it. I love atech kids).

And THEN the rest of this weekend is homecoming decorations and polishing off my USC cinematic school app. Woo video games. Best part is, I can play Fallout 3 without feeling guilty. It's RESEARCH.

And then the weekend after that is actually homecoming! Dunno what I'm gonna dress as on superhero day. I could be lazy and do a Silk Spectre, be slightly less lazy and do Arkham Asylum harley, or be a badass and make a deadpool outfit. Of course, I'll probably just end up being harl again. /:

The weekend, of course, is the actual dance. I can't figure out how to match my eyeshadow to my dress, but since that's literally my biggest problem with regards to the dance, I am perfect.

And THEN, Halloween weekend, BRIDGET IS VISITING YAAAAAAAAAAAAY! Hopefully, we'll be driving up to Calico for a steampunk meet-up and party! DOUBLE YAAAAAAY!!

That's pretty much my October. Thanks for listening, chiiiiiildren. This is Three Dog, and you're listening to Galaxy News Radio, bringing you the truth, no matter how baaaaaad it hurts.





I have played too much 360 today.

I'm paranoid that colleges will find my LJ, and that I've posted something inappropriate on here. D:

Anyway.

My life has been taken over by apps, homecoming, and school. ): Apps, of course, would be a breeze if I didn't care so much - but I do. I want to go to USC so, so, so, so badly, that I can't take any chances with a half-assed application. This is new for me, haha.

Homecoming - our theme is Superheroes!! The senior class has batman and superman, and I've been helping with decorations. It is so incredibly fun! And the actual dance, of course, is gonna be badass. My party bus is what ken is referring to as "the misfit sausage party bus", which is hilarious, but I'm definitely gonna have more fun with them than the other bus I was invited to/on... It'd just be awkward going without tony there.

Uhmmmmm school. My GPA is actually good! Yaaaaay sensible classes!

Okay I was just hit with a sharp pang of tendonitis so I'm stopping now.

All right kids.

A great travesty has occurred in the world of ska/punk.

Rancid is opening / has opened for Rise Against.

Now I originally thought this was a typo, and Rise Against was in fact opening for Rancid (which would make sense, kind of), but NAY.

WHAT IS THIS?! I realize Rise Against has been around for a bit, and hey, I like 'em and all, but DAMN. Rancid are LEGENDS. This is like... Like Journey opening for the Beatles (assuming they were from the same era). Who thought this up? ):

Maybe I just really really love Rancid. But I mean... respect your elders. Seriously. ):<

Sheeeeit.

People still read this blog, so there's a bunch of stuff I can't say. One, because it'll make me sound whiny and emo, two, because some of it is awkward, three... uh... you know what? I almost don't care any more about keepin' quiet.

Iono. It's easier to type, and I'm throwing it out here on the internets for all to see because, well, I'm not sure. If I'm not writing for anyone, why write at all, right? I don't jot down my life for myself. I've lived it, I know it.

So. Where to begin?


"Hey man. How ya doin? You havin a good day? Good, cause there's been something I've been meaning to tell you for a long time. Promise you won't get mad at me. You won't get mad at me, right? Good." /deep breath

(I like how my brain automatically transitioned to the chorus guitar chords after typing that)

I'm scared. Really terrified about not getting into the college I want. It's like my entire future hinges on where I go. I try to write good essays and put together a good app and raise my grades, but it's just incredibly overwhelming. This is my last shot. I can't fuck it up. And I think I might. Time's definitely not on my side, and I have to force myself to do stuff at a pace I've never been able to match before. I know I'm capable. That's the scary part. I know I can do it... but I don't know if I will.

I'm jealous of people whose boyfriends still live here, and go to school with them, to boot. Yeah. Not in a hateful way, just in a i-wish-i-had-that way. Long distance relationships are pretty much a fact of life for me, but this one, this one counts. Like, a lot. I really, really, really don't want my ineptness, a few miles, or a bad essay be the axe that falls swiftly on this. ): I don't even know why, I have no idea why we work, but we do, and I don't know why I never ever want to lose you. But I don't.

You, I don't know what it is, but for some inexplicably weird reason, you're hammering away at my mind. I'm not sure why. I mean it when I say I just want to go about things as normal but I feel like someone fucked up along the way. It was probably me. Apparently, over time, things will regulate and maybe even go back into working order. Who knows? All I know is time is never on my side, so maybe we're shit out of luck. (Note: everyone reading this blog will assume this paragraph is about them - I assure you. It isn't.)

I feel really guilty about unloading all this stuff because I don't think people should have to put up with my bullshit, and yet I inadvertently shove it upon them.

I am happy because I'm not a complete wreck any more (yay) but it's like I just woke up and found that I'm in a pit with live snakes that I dug myself in a drunken stupor.

Also, the biggest problem. I can't tell just anyone about it. Maybe I'm not ready. Maybe - more likely - I know that if it got out, I'd be experiencing the brunt of all the prejudice and discrimination and trouble that I fought so hard to fight against. I don't know how you people do it, but god DAMN, do I salute you.

So.

That's... cryptic.

Uh.




I think imma go do my homework now. /:

Wowee. Senior year. How 'bout that, huh?

I'm faaaairly excited. Not only is my AP Art portfolio a challenge (and a fun one), but! I nailed my audition for the contemporary comedy :3 So that's fun. Creative writing is really starting to heat up. Got round 3 of workshopping today, some poems are hits, some are misses, but that's to be expected. I wrote the best poem evar yesterday, so I'm pleased for round 1 act 2. :DDD

Tony's visiting this weekend :3 Fun times. And our secret Shakespeare trip is coming up fast. Pretty exciting.

I am sure I have more to tell you about my life but none of it's very interesting.

That said... Team Fortress 2 halloween costumes. I already called scout. :3

I'M going to college.

I'M graduating.

It's MY picture in the yearbook.

It's MY choice where I attend college.

It's MY choice where I apply.

It's MY choice what clubs I join.

It's MY job.

It's MY work.

It's MY future you're tampering with.



I will NOT have you ruin the rest of my life, dammit.


For the more in-depth readers: I am not applying to goddamn Northwestern or University of Reno. I know where I want to go, I have my safety school planned, and I have other options, NONE OF WHICH involve GODDAMN RENO. And I will work when I want to work, where I want to work, for how long I want to work. You can't tell me what to aim for or do at work. It's MY FUCKIN' JOB. You didn't tell me what career to pursue, but when I picked one, you told me what you wanted me to do with it. YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT KIND OF VIDEO GAMES I SHOULD BE MAKING, OR SHOULD MAKE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME, EVERY CHANCE YOU GET, THAT VIDEO GAMES SHOULD CUT DOWN ON "VIOLENCE AND ROBOTS" AND BE "PRETTIER". YOU DON'T KNOW JACK SHIT ABOUT THE INDUSTRY, AND YOU HAVE TO STOP CRITICIZING IT.

Whew.

Went on a tangent there.

Uh... yeah. Where am I applying, then?

USC (top choice)
Hampshire College
Chapman
Boston College
Emerson
ASU (safety)


And stop hating on "no name" schools. I visited Harvard, and hated it. Seriously, it was pretty weak. Columbia was a bit better, maybe that can be my reach. But seriously, given the choice between Columbia and USC, I'd pick USC. I think I'd be much happier there, and get to do the major I want, to boot. Also it's not my fault you've never heard of Chapman.



Okay I'm done now.

Okay, so let's break down the good news/bad news:

THE GOOD
A (Dance) - It's first, it's easy, no one cares if you're late.
B (Film Studies) - oH EM GEE BEST CLASS EVERRR. Amazing teacher, great syllabus.
C (H Creative Writing) - My third year - still amazing teacher
D (H Stats) - Super super easy!
E (H Gov) - Good teacher, easy class, based on opinions
F (AP Art) - It's art, what's not to love?
G (Study Hall) - It's freakin' study hall. Plenty of time to work/chill. Someone just bought a 360 for the senior lounge.
Misc: I'M A SENIOR OMG YAY.

THE BAD
A - Freshmen. Ew.
B - I may fall asleep on occasion in the beginning due to jetlag.
C - The new kids? I'm a little apprehensive about their seriousness/skills.
D - Super super easy, therefore very boring & lots of free time.
E - Idiots/morons/talking point-based mentality folk/conservatives/dumb republicans/fundies.
F - 12 concentration pieces + 12 breadth pieces + 5 quality pieces = 29 PIECES OF HIGH-RES ARTWORK I HAVE NOT MADE YET OH GOD
G - There are like 30 people in my study hall and trying to get at the 360 will be murder.
Misc: Holyyyy sheeeiiiittt college apps omg. I like to think my game design doc is on its way, but i am STILL at a loss for my essay. >:



More coherent details later, I'm making tea!
ONE OH

Still not in the mood for writin' stories though. But I felt like updating. IT IS A CONUNDRUM.

Uh.

That's... that's kinda it.



I'm sorry I suck