back to the 636

It feels great to be home even if it's below freezing in our house, I haven't listened to any music since I left my apartment, and I'm sleeping on an air mattress instead of my own. I'm able to help Beth pick out her wedding dress, to visit my favorite coffee shop, to joke around about boys and life with Mallori, and eat Sunday dinner with my parents. My nephew grew so much in the past two months and doesn't seem like the sleepy little infant anymore. He can eat rice cereal now, sit upright, makes cute cooing noises, and never fails to laugh at a good game of peek-a-boo. It's really eerie how things are changing. My sister is getting married. It's about time since she's dated Nick for 7 years, but now that she's got a ring on her finger and wedding dreams in her head, it's really come to life. Although the wedding is months and months away, eventually she will no longer live in the same house as me. She won't be just a door away from me. We won't be able to pester each other about borrowing clothes or barging in when one of us is napping. We haven't gotten along all our lives, but in the past few years she has become my best friend. Sometimes I think I'm missing out on things at home when I'm away at college... My family has grown and matured and altered in so many ways and I feel like I've been absent when events, small and large, take place... I know that this isn't the case because I'm only two hours away, but the feeling lingers. I could never regret coming to Mizzou, it's the best experience I have ever had, but I wish it were possible to be in two places at once... I'm not so sure the world is ready for that just yet! :)

Meet simply lovely Jaymay

This music is addictive. Best enjoyed on a long drive down back roads where the trees form an arbor above the pavement. Try it. Gas is only $1.99.

I have never been more proud of my country than tonight

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer."

-Barack Obama

YES WE CAN.

It's Election Day!!

Finally! Two long years of political warfare are over and in less than 24 hours we should have a definite choice for our next President... A couple friends and I are waking up at 5:30am (yes, I do realize that's only in three hours... I'll have to pin my eyelids open) to grab some caffeine and get out to the polls early before the working morning crowd. I'm so excited to be voting for the first time in a Presidential Election-- a crucial and historical one at that. Missouri has determined the winning Presidential candidate for the past century, and so far polls are showing there's a 0.5% lead by McCain. The youth vote is one of the most important factors in this election. Whomever you support, please go to the polls and vote! It's your national right to practice your voice, so take advantage of it!

For you Obama supporters:
here's an easy way of determining results by the hour on Election Day via the ch!cktionary (via Nick Douglas).

1. When the polls close:

2. What states matter:

According to the prediction models at Fivethirtyeight.com, McCain absolutely can’t win without Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Indiana and Montana. He has less chance of winning without taking both Ohio and North Carolina than you do of wearing a condom and getting HIV.

3. What states matter in what order:

I distilled this from 538’s Nate Silver:

At 6 PM EST, most of Indiana’s polls close. An early call for McCain means hold onto your butts (because it indicates unpredicted McCain support); an early call for Obama means pop the champagne (for the inverse reason).

At 7, the rest of Indiana closes and a McCain win isn’t as meaningful. But at the same time Virginia, Georgia, and most of Florida close. If Virginia goes Obama, again, champagne. Same for Florida. If Obama wins his long-shot Georgia because of the record number of black early voters, then call a Republican and do your best Nelson “Ha ha!” because this whole map’s going blue.

At 7:30, Ohio and North Carolina close. Bad voter turnout here actually helps Obama, thanks to his huge lead in early votes. Either way, by now McCain probably has to win both or…finally…champagne.

At 8, Pennsylvania wraps up. But the projections may be off depending on which votes are counted first. Again, if you’re still holding onto your butts, keep a grip.

At 9, if Obama is still struggling, he’d better win Colorado. But not much chance it’ll come down to this.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
AT THIS TIME, IF OBAMA HASN’T SWEPT:
6 PM: McCain needs to not already lose Indiana.

7 PM: McCain needs Florida and Virginia.

7:30: McCain needs Ohio and North Carolina.

8: McCain probably needs Pennsylvania.

9: McCain needs Colorado.

Barack the vote!

-Kimberly('s mama's for Obama)

one for sorrow, two for joy, three for girls, four for boys

When everything’s over
And everything’s clear
When everyone’s older
No one is here
I try to remember
A girl on a wire
Tumbling and diving above Steven’s Green
Like a kite in the air

I've just started listening to the new (at least to me) Counting Crows album that came out in Spring this year, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings... It's worth a listen! Out of all the tracks, I personally like Los Angeles, On A Tuesday in Amsterdam Long Ago, Come Around, Cowboys and Washington Square.

This week in retrospect
A few things I've accomplished:
-waited in line for 5 long hours to see the next President of
the United States (definitely worth it!)
-crunched fall leaves beneath my feet
-taken more pictures than I can fathom
-quickly started to diminish the balance in my checking account
-skipped class...unwillingly
-carved an emo pumpkin
-created an entire costume solely from fabric, thread,
and polymer clay (hand-stitched, I might add!)
-dressed up as dinner (free burritos at Chipotle!)

my creation

A few things that have made me smile:
-Jimbo and Jackie recording a gangsta rap for PSP, an honors fraternity.
-this immaculately beautiful weather
-listening to JT and Culture Club's "Do You Really
Want to Hurt Me?" in drawing class
-renting The Darjeeling Limited and devouring
java chip ice cream with Carl
-jamming out to "Semi-Charmed Life" with Amanda and Lis
-Hanook's dance skills at India Night and
Clone High episodes at Paul's
-locking eyes with Obama
(totally exchanged numbers by blinking in morse code)
-Halloweenie festivities
-news that my sister and her boyfriend are now engaged! :)

A few habits I should break by next week:
-stumbling out of bed 10 minutes before class
-procrastination, procrastination, procrastination.
-unintentional but "harmless" flirtation.
-partaking in nostalgia through old mix cds
-insomnia that never falters until 3 or 4am

my beautiful Asian roommie, Jackie

my favorite syrup-loving-lumberjack, Scott