No Internet?!

        Last night, after getting back from my other family’s house pretty late (close to midnight), I was about to settle down in my room with my computer to write a little on my computer, or check my email when I realized that I had left my charger plugged in at their house…and my laptop was completely dead. As I stood there trying to think of alternate modes of entertainment, I was shocked at how empty I felt with out being able to get on the Internet. I know, this is really pathetic and unacceptable but I soon realized that I am honestly addicted to the Internet. (The first step is admitting it. Right?)
        I then decided to snuggle up with the book that I am currently reading. The problem was that it is Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. I have been trying to make myself more learned by reading classics (At least, I plan to. Wuthering Heights is my first attempt.) but I still have a hard time with the unfamiliar vocabulary. I usually read with my computer my by side, to look up words that I don’t know, and a pen in my hand, to write their meanings in the margin. Without my computer I was forced to use an actual spine-bound dictionary! Can you believe it?! At first, I was really put out by the extra amount of effort that it took me to look up each word: Having to look up 2-5 words per page (or 5 min…because the type is small) was really a hassle. After a while, though, I found that it wasn’t too bad. I got used to it pretty fast. I know now, though, since I have my charger back, I will go right back to using the convenient dictionary at my fingertips. But who knows, maybe I won’t. I’ll just have to wait and see.
        Not using the Internet for a night reminded me of an event that I participated in last year called Earth Hour. Earth Hour is an annual worldwide event created by WWF (the World Wildlife Fund) to help raise awareness for the need to find a solution to global warming/climate change. People are urged, every year, to turn of their (non-essential) lights and appliances for one hour on the last Saturday of March. Earth Hour 2009 will be held on Saturday, March 28 at 8:30 PM.
        So I guess, I challenge people to try to go ¬¬so many hours without technology (as little as one or as many as five). You can interpret the term ‘technology’ however you would like: maybe you could just do without internet/TV, or maybe you would like to exclude all electronics (including lights). Any way you choose, I think it is an interesting lesson on what we can truly “live without”. Perhaps in the time that you spend without your technological comforts you could pick up a book and open up a whole new world.
        If you don’t choose to participate in my challenge, I highly suggest that you try to participate in Earth Hour this coming March and to get as many people involved as you can.

To learn more about Earth Hour, you can visit:
EarthHour.org
Wikipedia.org

-M

2008: Year in review

        Okay so it's a new year...again. That does tend to happen.

        Since I haven't written an entry since March, I decided to write a brief overview of what I have done in the past year (2008- in semi-chronological order):

  I quit school (Dec 07) at a college in Georgia.
  I went to University of Phoenix for the spring while trying to figure out where I wanted to be.
  I lived with my sister for the first six months...
  I got into my first car accident.(and cried... a lot!)
  I moved back to Texas.
  I turned 20.
  I moved to Austin, got my own apartment, and enrolled in community college.
  I paid my first rent...on time.
  I got my first job as a waitress.
  I quit my first job as a waitress.
  I voted.
  I had my 2nd vegan Thanksgiving (I had it with my second family: they are my best friends family but I consider them my family.)
  I went to the Prop 8 protest in front of the Capital.
  I was served a non-vegan lasagna. I got a stomach ache and $15 gift certificate out of it.
  I got three A's and one B in school.
  I applied for the University of Texas.
  I went to my first (and last) Camp Camp.
  I read the Twilight Saga in two weeks.
  I had Christmas in Georgia with my sister, her family, my mom, and brother.
  I watched Twilight in theaters (four times..I know I'm lame).
  I received my rejection letter from UT.

        So, that is my year in review. I know no one reads these but I feel it would be rude not to ask, how was your 2008?

Things that I am looking forward to in 2009:
  Barack Obama
  The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide [Book] (Feb. 1)
  KNOW1NG [Movie] (March 20)
  Maybe a road trip up to the Seattle/Portland/Olympic Peninsula areas (spring break)
  Twilight Special Edition DVD (Tentative date: March 21)
  2012 [Movie] (June)
  Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince [Movie] (July 17)
  My 21st Birthday (Aug. 8)
  New Moon [Movie] (tentative date: Nov. 20)
  Lovely Bones [Movie] (Dec.)
  S. Darko [Movie]
... I am sure there is more but I can't think of any at the moment...

        And last of all... my new years resolution(s). I normally don't do new years resolutions just because I feel if your going to do something than you should just do it. You shouldn't have to wait for a new year to start or only do something for a year. I just think it is an excuse (oh, I'll exercise for my "new years resolution"...next year). Like I said, I am going to be a hypocrite and make a new years resolution (fingers crossed that it will stick!). I am going to write an entry for this blog AT LEAST once a week.

        Now that I said that, I will probably never follow through...
        See you in a week? :-)

-M