Cola wars + good news on the music front!

I know that most (lucky) people are not sweating it out in Gainesville right now, so they have been missing the cola wars on campus during the past week or so. Pepsi is moving in and Coke is moving out, hey-o! And it's all happening lightening fast because of the way the contracts worked out. Apparently Pepsi has truck drivers and workers coming in from all over the country due to the deadline constraints to convert all of UF and every satellite of UF in the entire state. All of the sudden, there are Pepsi and Coke trucks everywhere. Ripping stuff out and putting new stuff in. Crazy. I even saw Coke people honking at Pepsi people, and I would guess it was not in a nice manner. Wonder how many Coke people from this area had to relocate or find new jobs? I would honk too, I guess. And give them the finger. Not that they had anything to do with it, but eh small details.

In other local news (ok it's probably not news to most, but I'm happy... for the next two days), Wind FM, the classic rock station, aired a commercial this morning that truly lifted my spirits. The premise was that they made a mistake in putting John Boy and Billy's morning show on the air and they are going back to playing music in the morning. Thank you! I freaking HATE talk shows in the morning, and I used to love listening to Wind FM because they always played tons of music, and then those stupid ass hillbillies got put on the air and all they did was talk and be annoying. And I was forced to listen to 106.9, which kinda sucked when all they played was cheesy 80's music (ok I did like some of it, but a lot of it was crap). Of course now their format is to have no format, they play whatever they want (I guess they want to play lite rock from the 70's to the present), and so there was some good stuff on there, but now look at this Gainesville! You get two choices of stations that will actually play music instead of inane chatter for your commuting to work pleasure! Also, as a tip, 105.3 also plays a good deal of music in the mornings as well.

Two and a half more days...

I'm getting near the end of my Gainesville days here... Three farewell dinners and two and a half days from now I'm getting picked up by my parents and driven to D.C... yeah that makes me feel pretty young. But it's time to start a new life, sad as it may be at first. I'll never forget Gainesville and all of the amazing memories I've made and promptly forgotten here. I love you Gville!

Things I REALLY won't miss about Gainesville

Last night I went to Gator City, underage drinking mecca apparently (although I here the police are cracking down there so there's a little warning!) I have to say, I spent most of the night laughing at other people. Yes, this makes me a huge judgemental asshole, but whatever. I'm old and cranky and kinda pissed off from drunk girls spilling their drinks all over me and drunk guys dancing poorly and so erratically that they almost took me out and laid me flat. I think this post will anger some people who believe themselves to be fairly stylish and/or cool, and they will read it and think, wow this person is just completely not cool and has no idea what's in fashion now. But what do I care. I think these are the same people who will look back in a few years and go "ewww what was I thinking when I put that outfit on??" So here is my list of funny and awful things I saw last night, love it or leave it:

1. Lots of gold lamé. On shoes, on huge, horribly oversized and tacky purses, on shirts... I'm hoping that this was because it was 80's night at XS and not because people actually think this tacky staple of a couple decades ago actually looks good. Because what it really does is remind me of one of my high school friend's mothers, who had tons of the stuff, only I think she actually did buy hers 20 years ago. And yeah, they say some styles come back... but there are some that need to stay dead.

2. Huge purses. For one thing, there is no reason to have a purse that big when you are out at a bar. Are you carrying a bottle of vodka in with you? And not only were some of them just so freaking ugly, but they are also really annoying when you are trying to dance next to or behind someone who owns one, and they have no idea that they are just whacking everyone around them with it repeatedly. Please ladies, keep track of your belongings. It's not fun to be attacked by the Giant Purses from Hell.

3. Really awful dancing from the guys. Including one who, I'm not making this up or exaggerating, was literally just swinging his hips back and forth very quickly, left to right to left as he was dancing with a girl (who was being so unconcious of her drink that she poured half of it down my leg and the other half on my friend's ass), and his tempo did not vary despite song changes or beat changes. Just back and forth, back and forth, like a pendulum on speed. I saw a lot of guys dancing like this. It was really funny. Boys, you have to change speed when the song does. And just moving the lower part of your body back and forth does not constitute dancing. But it DOES give me a laugh, so at least you accomplished that!

4. This may make me some Greek enemies, but those Panhellenic Recruitment buttons are hilarious. My friend in a sorority told me about them and about how they are supposed to wear them. For one thing, only some of the girls did, because I saw some girls I knew out last night, and they didn't have them on. Maybe I just don't understand the rules. But it did contribute to the clone look that some of the girls were working: same hair style, same shirt, same blue jean skirt, same heels... and same blue button! Unless they were a Pi Chi, then it was same orange button! Being non-Greek makes this a little more amusing to be sure, although I did hear some frat boys talking about how silly it looked. Wouldn't it be bad if a girl who was going to rush saw a girl in one of those buttons puking in the sink in the bathroom, and then noticed her later during rush?

5. SEQUINS. Huge ones. Another trend that needs to stay dead. I saw this one girl in a little shirt jacket thing with green iridescent sequins all over it and my jaw dropped. Do people really think that looks good?? I saw some purses covered in huge ones as well. Now, little sequins have their place. But these were BIG.

6. Culottes. (long flowy shorts that kind of look like skirts). Now when they are made to look almost indistinguishable from a skirt, maybe. But some are very obviously look like long loose shorts, and too be honest they look like sweat pants. Which if you want to go out in sweat pants, whatever. But that's kind of weird. I admit, I have worn culottes. But it was when my mom dressed me and I was only a little kid.

Ah man, this list could go on and on. But I have better things to do now. And I think I'll have enough people at this point telling me how untrendy I am. But, I didn't say I hate all trends, just these really ugly ones. And to the sorority girls, I understand that you have to (I guess...?) wear the buttons. But admit it... admit it... they seem silly sometimes. Thanks for all of the laughs last night, Gainesville!!

Oh wait one more thing-- screaming everytime a song comes on that you like is not cool. Especially when it's EVERY DAMN SONG. Express your pleasure, fine. But not at the expense of my eardrums, thank you very much.

More money for Blue Key! I mean, Growl...

Florida Blue Key is getting another $10,611 and change for Gator Growl '05 in the next couple of days... make it count ladies and gents! I wonder what this chunk of change is for... maybe a congratulatory banquet for being in Florida Blue Key and in charge of Growl? (JK, JK)

Hmm, it's been awhile since I posted. Everything is slowing down now that it's the break between Summer B and Fall. And even though I'm still doing the same ol', same ol', so nothing is truly different except that I finally get to drive to campus again instead of taking the downtown bus (some scaaary people on that bus), I haven't posted much either. I think I just get so downhearted reading other UF blogs and seeing that nothing has changed. Anyway...

Even though those blogs aren't changing much, I do have a new blogging obsession, Pink is the New Blog. This is the place to go if you want to see really funny pictures of Britney Spears and the always drunk, ever boob-exposing Tara Reid. Plus other celebrity pictures and gossip. The only bad part about looking at this site is that I feel like I'm supporting the paparrazzi (or however you spell that), which is something I really don't want to do because I think it would be annoying as SHIT to have people following you around taking pictures of you doing everything little thing just because you are famous. But... guily pleasure. Once I move and have a more interesting life, hopefully I will stop looking at this site.

Another thing I'm going to miss about Gainesville: Being able to drive wherever I go. Although not necessarily park, but still. I am not even taking my car up to D.C. *sniff*. Also, I will miss Moe's. I hear they don't have one up in D.C. Boooo. And even if they do, they probably don't give you the cookie and the drink with the kid's meal. Did I already say I'm going to miss my awesome friends? Moving sucks.

At least there was no anal leakage.

So I just tried some of Edy's Light, Slow Churned ice cream. It's new, and it's supposed to make you not feel so guilty about eating ice cream. Unless you are like me, because I generally wouldn't buy ice cream in the first place except that it says it's low fat, so then I do eat it, meaning consuming way more calories than I would have normally. Well, whatever. So my boss brings some of this tempting dessert into the office and lets us all know that we can have at it. Dammit, my lack of willpower rears it's ugly head again, but hey, it's low fat. I grab me some Caramel Delight or whatever the name of it was, it was really caramelly, and man is this crap good! And I only feel 1/3 as guilty!! Sweet. Well, I didn't let myself have too much just in case Edy's uses that Olestra crap that causes anal leakage, so I settle back in to my day of staring at the computer, reading the news while pretending to work.

And then, it sets in. The horrible aftertaste of death. I seriously feel like I've been sucking on... what? Maybe sandpaper? I have no clue what this taste is in my mouth (btw, guys love that joke....) eww anyway. What is up with that?? My wonderful after-caramel buzz is ruined. Maybe it's just that flavor. But that is my consumer warning of the day.

Oh yeah, and that some potato chips DO contain Olestra, which does cause anal leakage. It even used to say so somewhere on certain bags. And no I didn't just get that from The Sweetest Thing, I am pretty sure I saw it once. BTW, girls if you havent' seen The Sweetest Thing, you really should. Looks dumb, but is accurate and hilarious.

Screw you, asshole.

I would just like to say a big FUCK YOU to the asshole who lived in the house that I just moved into before me. Not only did he not clean a damned thing before moving out, which he decided to wait on doing until the day I moved in, but he also apparently lived in filth like no other. So screw you for leaving dirt, grime, and insects on every possible surface, both horizantal and vertical and everything in between. I'm only living in this house temporarily before I move for good, and now I get to spend all of my 18 days there with my temporary roommates cleaning up your repugnant, disgusting mess. I already spent 2 hours cleaning your shower before I felt it was clean enough to use it, and I haven't even tackled the vomit-worthy fridge yet. So screw you, asshole man. You need to come back and clean up your miserable mess.

Grrr.

Maybe goodbye soon...?

As this blogger nears the inevitable journey to DC to start law school, I realize that I may not have the time to post as much anymore in two weeks. So I'm thinking of giving up my independent status and trying to piggy back onto another blog, writing less but more insightfully and hopefully wittily, probably about law school and DC life, and random crap that entertains me. I'm sure this will upset my four or so faithful readers, but I hope you can get over it. So now I'm looking for that blog to jump on... I'm *eh hem* young, female, and pretty damn liberal *eh hem* so maybe I will fit in somewhere...

Moving sucks

Moving is really the suck. You never really realize how much useless crap you have until you are faced with the reality of packing it all into boxes. And then when you are done sweating and heaving (wow sounds like a porno) and moving all of the damn boxes from one place to another, not to mention your furniture, you have to CLEAN the place you just left. This is after you just cleaned off all of your own belongings, because for the past year or two you have "forgotten" to dust. On top of this, it's Gainesville and everyone is moving out or in at the same time. Fun times for all involved, and a whole lot of completely full dumpsters! For all of you who didn't move this weekend (the 5 of you) but are facing it, here are some thoughts:

-You can get good boxes from ABC, just call and let them know you want some. Other places for good free boxes are fast food places and, the mecca, Wal-Mart at night. When they stock products at night, they have tons of empty boxes in all different sizes for free! It's amazing! I went last night at around 10:15pm and there were just stacks and stacks. But don't expect to be able to buy many cleaning supplies, because those have been cleaned out.

-Free newspaper for packing can be obtained by raiding Alligator stands throughout campus and at bus stops.

-Don't put all your books in one box. It's real heavy and your dad will yell at you when you make him carry it.

-Don't leave it all to the last minute. It's amazing how much little crap is left over when you think you are almost done. I thought my last load was going to be four boxes. It was about 6, plus four or five plastic bags.

-Check all of the closets and storage places where you lived for things you might have forgotten. And don't forget the fridge!

-Make sure you forward your mail.

-Put furniture you don't want out by the street. It will be picked up within a few minutes if you are on a busy street. The locals know that we students will throw away plenty of perfectly good stuff because we don't feel like moving it.

shit just got caught goofing off at work. more later.

Goodbye to a great friend.

Today I said goodbye to Tessy, the best dog ever. We've had her since she was a very young puppy and known her since she was born. That was 16 years ago.

In her old age, Tess wasn't doing so well. She had arthritis, she had a couple of tumors that we had removed. Two days ago she had a seizure. We were told she probably had a year left. She had three more seizures in a day and a half, which was not expected. My family made the incredibly tough decision to euthanize her. After the fourth seizure, she never completely recovered. We were told that it was probably something in the brain, incurable. Our beautiful. wonderful dog seemed confused. The few times she got the energy to walk, she would go only a few steps before stopping and looking around, as though confused as to what she was doing. She couldn't stand for long. She didn't seem to be able to hear or see well.

The whole family went to the vet's office. Me, my parents, my brother, and my grandmother. I had gone home from Gainesville to say goodbye. The vet had an outside area; grassy, covered, with a little fountain. We all gathered around her in the wet grass as she breathed her last, and we all cried as though we were losing a member of our family. Because we were.

Please don't take for granted the people or animals that love you. I know that losing Tess is not comparable to the pain of losing a person whom you are very close to. But the pain is still there. Love the people and the pets in your life well, because even when you think you still have some time left you can never know for sure.

Feel free to leave any thoughts you want about your own awesome pet, but know that they will never compare.