Halloween

Not dressed up, feeling a bit overwhelmed. So much going on. I don't have a lot of free time anymore. When am I supposed to enjoy the wonderful land of TV?

Play time?

Dave being silly

Watching tv....like normal

Close up.

New...

New format, new beta interface, almost a new month, new city, maybe that means more new posts soon....

Helmets

Aww how cute. It looks like our helmets are kissing.

Hmmm....

....why I haven't posted more is a mystery. I am bored up in Seattle and don't have much to do, yet find no motivation to write blog posts. Hopefully I'll find some time and sit down and work on a major update on my life. I know all the readers out there are dying for an update. So far since I've been up here, I've successfully decorated my apartment, made a few new friends, and stared out my window a whole lot.

Actually, I walked to Pike Place Market the other day. I knew it was about 1.5 miles, but never stopped to factor in the hills before hiking there. It was a lot of fun, but took a lot of energy. I considered going into the aquarium, but there was a huge line. On Sunday, I went with Sam to pick blueberries. It was beautiful out in the field and a lot of fun. Hopefully I'll put up some pictures soon.

I have most of my textbooks. Let me tell you, they don't look very exciting. I also have a lot of my first week assignments and may attempt working on them later this week. I just got some new books from Amazon though, so we'll see how that actually goes. I guess I better get it done before school actually starts.

Anyway, living up here is still a little surreal. Sometimes when I wake up it's strange that my windows are open, and sometimes I'm a little chilly. It's strange that sometimes when I look out my window I can see Mt. Rainier. Who knew a mountain could come and go so easily in the distance? Especially one that's so big. Okay I'm going to go watch the Daily Show and then read some before bed. Sweet dream all.

It's official

I officially live in Seattle now. My parents and I flew up here yesterday. Given the flight took a bit longer than we expected (like 2 hours due to delays), we could not have chosen a better day to fly. The whole trip was completely clear. The view of the mountains, the terrain, and everything else was spectacular. I finally got to see the Grand Canyon, given from above. When we got over Washington we could see all the big mountains out in the distance. The pilot flew us really close to Mt. Rainier and it was very impressive. It was really neat to be able to see everything. Once we landed we found the hotel, which is interesting in itself. It's an extended stay hotel and the parking lot is at such an angle it makes it difficult to get in and out of the car doors. I guess I better get used to that. After a while we headed over and saw my apartment. I really love it. I'm excited to be able to live there. The placement of furniture will be slightly tricky but once I get it down, there shouldn't be any problems. Pictures of the empty apartment will follow soon. Ohhh and out my window, if you're right up against it you have an awesome view of Mt. Rainier. I can already see myself getting distracted by staring out the window. Then it was time for sleep. (Please excuse any typos, the spell check is not working.)

Bad me

So I've slacked and posting and really don't feel like it now. I just thought I'd annuonce that I haven't forgotten about my little blog. Someday soon there will be a whole big update on my life and how my summer has been a roller coaster. I bought a new digital camera so hopefully that means there will be lots more pictures and such floating around on here sometime soon. I haven't actually moved to Seattle yet (I think the official date will be July 31) but I expect to be taking lots of pictures of that. Until the update, enjoy your summer.

Bad me

So I've slacked and posting and really don't feel like it now. I just thought I'd annuonce that I haven't forgotten about my little blog. Someday soon there will be a whole big update on my life and how my summer has been a roller coaster. I bought a new digital camera so hopefully that means there will be lots more pictures and such floating around on here sometime soon. I haven't actually moved to Seattle yet (I think the official date will be July 31) but I expect to be taking lots of pictures of that. Until the update, enjoy your summer.

Surprises

So today I worked and then there was supposed to be a work party afterward. Last year my co-workers threw me a surprise birthday party, so I figured since the party was a few days after my birthday there would probably be a card or something for me. Normally everyone gets a card signed by all the employees (since there' s only 5 of us). Well I showed up and it turns out it was a graduation party. I love my co-workers. I'm going to miss them all so much when I move away. They really are more like friends and family than people I work with. Sure, I'm not as close with some of them, but others are great. I really think of Kellen as a big brother, well kind of. We jokingly flirt a lot but nothing would ever come of it since he's married. Bonnie has been more like my substitute mom in Tucson than anything else; I even get frustrated and angry with her like a mom. May is like the crazy aunt I see every month or so and Chuck, her husband, is like the nice uncle that tries his hardest to relate even though we don't have a ton in common. Though I had a decent birthday weekend, I don't think it would have been as wonderful without the party. Kellen even brought me the most delicious cake I've ever had from his father-in-law's bakery. I appreciate them all so much :)

I just haven't had time

to write. I've been so busy and sick. I have spent most of the month of April recovering from a severe cold and pink eye. Let me tell you, it has made my last month of school super fun, including many nights of falling asleep at 8 PM, not going out, and watching more movies then I thought I could in a week. I also have succeeded in writing 3 papers in the month April. One was on the Puget Sound (and I did a presentation on it), one was on Hamas and Palestine and the national security threat they pose, and the last was on Loving v. Virginia and the potential for social change being created by the court system. Let me tell you, it was a good month. Now I have a few days to catch up on reading. I have a final on Tuesday. Then I have a take home final and another on May 9th. I cannot believe I'm almost done.

Here are the final results for the law schools:
1) Roger Williams - Accepted and withdrawn
2) Valparaiso - Accepted and withdrawn
3) University of Oregon - Waitlisted and withdrawn
4) University of Arizona - Waitlisted and withdrawn
5) Seton Hall - Accepted and withdrawn
6) Rutgers @ Newark - Deferred, waitlisted, and I think I'm sticking on this waitlist just to see what happens
7) William & Mary - Waitlisted. I don't know how this happened. I full expected a rejection letter. I'm staying on their wait list and will seriously consider attending if I get an acceptance in the next month.
8) Seattle University - Accepted & most likely attending

I mailed my deposit out to Seattle in the middle of April. A week ago I got a letter that really freaked me out telling me I was officially a student at their school and had a seat held for me.

I should be finishing a study guide but I'm just not focused enough to do so, so I guess I might go to bed and watch a movie because I have to work tomorrow and then go to a work party.

I hope to start writing again more once school is done. This summer will definitely be a roller coaster.

There are good people

Read this story:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060417/ap_on_fe_st/homeless_man_wallet

It makes me smile.

Sick

I hate being sick. I just want to be better. I wish my ear would stop hurting. That's all for now.

My List

I am Ali.

What more could you ever want to know?

Let me try to answer all your questions.

I'm a super busy student that occasionally finds time to sleep.

I like to read as long as it's not textbooks.

I want to go to law school some day and that dream is quickly coming true.

If I wasn’t doing that I’d get a master’s in Higher Education.

I'm a dreamer and an optimist.

I love coffee and studying at coffee houses.

I love meeting the new, interesting people at coffee houses.

I make friends wherever I go with strangers.

I like to procrastinate and do it more than I should.

I now live with one of my best friends that I've known since 5th grade.

I'm a red head and so is my roommate.

I like to ramble (as you can see).

You've probably already stopped reading this but it's okay.

I'm learning to love cooking.

I love to drive during the summer with my windows down.

I just like driving with my windows down.

Sometimes when I'm feeling sad or lonely or just bleh I go for a drive because it makes me happy.

I miss the days of going for drives with Andrea in HS and looking for rain.

I'm lost without my cell phone.

I love to sing even though I am terrible at it.

Even more, I love to dance (I'm bad at that too).

The simple things in life make me smile and I'm learning to appreciate that more.

I love chocolate (maybe that's why I work in a chocolate store).

I was born in NJ and moved to Phoenix when I was 10.

I’m almost done with my undergrad work in Tucson.

I don’t know where I want to spend the rest of my life anymore.

I'm totally terrified of going away to law school alone and being in a town where I don't know a soul.

I'm also excited about getting to move to a new town and making new friends and seeing new things.

I want to get a passport even though I have nowhere to go.

I love being in college but I'm not digging classes anymore.

I'm tired of going through silly motions just to get a piece of paper that says I'm smarter than I was 4 years ago.

Most of what I've learned really hasn't been sitting in a classroom. I

love meeting new people and trying new things even though sometimes I'm not as willing as I should be.

I love my friends to death and I'm sad that we will all be in different places next year.

It scares me that so many of my friends are married or having kids or living with someone.

It's okay though because I know I don't want that yet.

I could go on with this forever.

I like to lay on the floor and stare at the ceiling - there's something relaxing about it.

I don’t like people sitting on my bed unless it's made.

The curtains in my bedroom are really shower curtains.

My toenails are almost always painted pink.

I love wearing skirts but my legs are really white but I just don't care anymore.

When I was little my dream was to one day create a way to get rid of my freckles.

I miss my family back east.

I have 22 second cousins in just one branch of the family.

I'm an only child though.

I love to laugh and smile.

If you can make me laugh I'll pretty much automatically be your friend.

I like to think I'm funny but I frequently make really bad jokes.

I hate fancy food – I prefer a burger and some beer much more.

I like going to bars but hate the smell.

I prefer to stay out way later than I should.

Board games are the best things in the world.

I love cheesy girl movies but then again I love Die Hard and the like also.

I think I need to learn to love fish.

I love sticky notes.

I like to make lists.

I think that will be all the rambling for now.

If you want more (I'm not sure what you could want to know), just ask :)

I wish

I wish we had met sooner.
I wish we had more time to get to know each other.
I wish you didn't have to go back so soon.
I wish we weren't just a fling.
I wish I knew you'd be happy where you are.
I wish I'd know when you returned home safe.
I wish for what I could have never had.

My Secret about PostSecret

Every Sunday night I look forwarding to reading Post Secret. I don't know what it is about the site but it's the one thing that I never forget to do on Sundays. Either way almost every time I read the site I cry a little. Sometimes because the stories of hope make me happy, other times it makes me so sad to know that someone out there has such a painful secret, and other times because the card I'm reading could be mine. When I think about it, there are so many secrets I could share on a postcard, but I'm blessed enough to have friends that I know I can share anything with. Though not all of my friends know each secret, it's good knowing that somebody knows what you feel.

<3

So many things.

First, Seattle was amazing. I didn't want to even get on the plane to come home. Given I had to but I sure didn't want to. I think I will be so happy there next year. I know at first I'll be sad and lonely but once I get a routine and into the swing of things I don't think I'll ever want to leave. I'll miss all my friends and family but I'm beginning to realize it might be the best place for me.

Second, I want to quit my job, quit school, and quit leaving the house. I think I just need a week or two where all I have to do is switch movies out at Blockbuster and lay around and read books. Very quickly I'm getting tired of everything. Senioritis is a complete bitch. After this minute procrastination of blogging I have to go do homework - at 9 PM on a Friday night - awesome.

Third, I met a guy that I hung out with but he left this morning to go back to his post in the Marines. I really enjoyed getting to hang out with him and just having a good time. We didn't' really exchange info or anything so I'm pretty confident I'll never see or hear from him again. The point of it was that the time I spent with him was me smiling most of the time. Sadly, I don't remember being that happy in recent times. I also felt comfortable with a guy which really hasn't happened since Mark. It kind of sucks that I'll never see him again, if he lived in Tucson I would have liked to get to know him better, but it gives me hope. Hope that somebody is out there for me.

Lastly, since both Judy & Terry are leaving Blue Chip I've been asked to sit on the Recruitment Committee. It's actually pretty neat - I'm either the only or one of two students that will represent the entire program when hiring. I feel very honored and hope to make the best selection I can. I've never really had to hire people or do interviews so I'll do the best I can and just hope that they fit in well with Blue Chip.

100 Things You Never Needed to Know About Me

100 THINGS

1: First grade teacher's name: Grrr...I normally can think of this.

2. Last word you said: Will - I was singing along to Teddy Geiger

3: Last song you sang: Whatever that song is called

4: Last person you hugged: Sabrina when I saw her at work

5: Last thing you laughed at?: 'Just Friends' that I watched earlier

6: Last time you said I don't remember: Uhm....who knows :p

7: Last time you cried? Actually cried was last month.....teared up more recently

8: Are you currently wearing a shirt from Minnesota: Nope - a Union Bay sweatshirt that my grandfather gave me.

::PRESENT::

9: What color socks are you wearing: black - I wore a black turtleneck today

10: What's under your bed: Boxes of stuff and probably some junk I've forgotten about

11: What time did you wake up today: ohhhh like 11:30 maybe?? I don't know - whenever the phone rang

12: Current taste: I'm drinking hot cocoa

13: Current hair: Red and long

14: Current thirst: None - see #12

15: Current annoyance: that I have to clean my room after I get to #100 and the Sex and the City that's on was on like last week

16: Current longing: to be in Seattle

17: Current desktop background: My grandfather making a funny face....it changes hourly

18: Current worry: Too many to name

19: Current hate: uhm? That I'm still in Tucson and not out on a Saturday night during Spring Break

20: Current favorite article of clothing: Ever? I don't know.

21: Favorite physical feature of the preferred sex: Eyes

22: Last CD that you listened to: The 92.9 Studio C CD

23: Favorite place to be: The Jersey shore

24: Least favorite place: quickly becoming Tucson

25: Time you wake up in the morning? normally between 7:30 & 9 depending on what I'm doing

26: If you could play an instrument: I can still kind of play the flute. I've always wanted to play the piano or violin though.

27: Favorite color: purple

28: Do you believe in an afterlife: yes in some form

29: How tall are you: 5'4"

30: Current favorite word/saying: echelons

31: Favorite book: well right now I read nothing but textbooks...I love Nicholas Sparks, Roald Dahl, ugh....I don't know....stop asking difficult questions

32: Favorite season: where I am currently it's the fall

33: One person from your past you wish you could go back and talk to: ohhh so difficult...I pass

::FUTURE::

35: Where do you want to go for college? I'm graduating in May from UA for undergrad. I would love to go to William & Mary for law school or Seattle.

36: What is your career going to be like: Intellectual property lawyer specializing in internet issues - hahaa I want to work for Google or Microsoft.

37: How many kids do you want: One or two

38: Where do you want to live? I don't know....Seattle?

::HAVE YOU EVER...::

39: Said "I love you": Yes .

40: Gotten in a fight with your dog/cat/bird/fish: Well my cat has been angry at me

41: Been to New York: Yup...not in a long time though

42: Been to Florida: Yup...last time I was there was last summer

43: Been to California: A few times but not since Senior year of high school

44: Been to Hawaii: Negative

45: Been to Mexico: Negative

46: Been to China: I've never been out of the country, alright?

47: Been to Alaska?: I want to go and see my friend and her husband

48: Dreamed something really crazy and then it happened the next day: Not necessarily the next day but soon thereafter

Where the heck is the next 3 questions??

52: Do you have a crush on someone: *sigh* Yes. A few. Such as the hot bartender at the Shanty. If you happen to read this, uhm yeah :p

53: What book are you reading now? Sadly here is the list: Strategies of Containment (about the Cold War), The Hollow Hope (about the USSC and social change), Prophets of the Hood (about lyrics and poetry in hip hop). There's a few others but those are the main ones right now.

54: Worst feeling in the world: crying and having nobody to hug

55: What is the first thing you think when you wake in the morning: I don't want to go to school/work

56: How many rings before you answer: normally like 2

57: Would you like the chicken or beef: Chicken

where is number 58?

59: Do you sleep with a stuffed animal: *sigh* Yes.

where is 60-63??

64: Do you do drugs: no

65: Do you drink: Yup

66: Is anyone still reading this: Probably not

67: What kind of Shampoo and Conditioner do you use? Depends on my mood when I go shopping

68: What are you most scared of: Making the wrong choice about law school (currently)....or wax figures

69: What clothes do you sleep in? depends on the weather

70: Who is the last person that called you: My mom

71:Where do you want to get married: I don't know...I'll figure that out when I have a ring on my finger

72: If you could change anything about yourself what would that be: Physically....I'd like to be more fit or my knees....in general...to be more confident

73. Who do you hate: Not a lot of a people...the bad drivers in Tucson??

74: Been In Love: Yes and had the heart broken

75: Are you timely or always late: always early...usually about 10-15 minutes

76: Do you have a job: yes I am a chocolatier

77: Do you like being around people? Usually

78: Best feeling in the world: Somebody complimenting you and truly meaning it

79: Are you for world peace: Of course though it's not realistic

80: Are you a health freak: I should become one

81: Do you have a "Type" of person you always go after: Somewhat but I tend to wander

82: Do you want someone you don't have?: *LOL*

83: Are you lonely right now: Not particularly

84: Ever afraid you'll never get married: Sometimes

85: Do you want to get married: I think so

86: Do you want kids? Yes

::IN THE LAST 48 HOURS, HAVE YOU...::

87: Cried: No

88: Bought Something: Too much :( Being alone a rainy Saturday causes for too much money getting spent

89: Gotten Sick: Nope

90: Sang: Yessir

91: Said I Love you: Yup to my mom and Jamie (in the sisterly way)

92: Wanted To Tell Someone You Liked them: Yeah...at the bar :)

93: Met Someone: I don't think so

94: Moved On: Not really, what do I have to move on from?

95: Talked To Someone: Yup

96: Had A Serious Talk: Negative

97: Missed Someone: Of course

98: Hugged Someone: Nope

99: Yelled at Someone: Well not to their face...I yelled while driving at the idiots who think rain requires them to go 15 MPH

100. Someone You Can't Be with out: In the last 48 hours? I don't know :)