progress.

well, it turns out the wall behind the sink WASN'T fucked up after all.  it was in fact, the counters that were already there.  while this doesn't surprise me that much, it is a little shocking, 'cos it's amazing just how inept the people were!  

by the by, when we were taking the countertops out, they literally CRUMBLED!  i gave it a few smacks with the mallet, and it just disappeared. 

the faucet and the sink have been the biggest issue.  #1) was with the faucet.  since it's a european faucet, none of the little fasteners fit.  anyhow, that got fixed after 4 different runs to home depot and ace hardware.  #2) was the sink.  the only issue was the hole for the faucet.  you use this really wacky metal tool that you spin around with a wrench.  it uses pressure and torque and all that physics stuff to eventually punch a hole in it.  it took SO much work to do it!  

the counters took a while to cut, but they went fairly smoothly.  and everything is looking so nice!  we only have to do a little fiddling with the drain pipes and with the hot water knob under the sink.  

i'm excited for it to be done, i'll take pictures, obviously :)

those are the miracles you pray for...

...so get down on your knees!

i'm in an incredibly goofy mood right now!  i don't know why, i don't know how.  but, there you have it.  i'm all kinds of giggles, and have been dancing around the house with ruby while making marinara sauce for dinner.  

i have to go get scott at 3.30, and then rush him home, and rush myself back to work, woo!  good times!  

i have so much to read tonight/tomorrow.  i need to read my PHIL book, and need to work on my HWC (second paper).  and then saturday!!!  i get to put up the wall!  and i get to put in the counters!  derek you should come help!  i'll buy you dinner!  i'm serious!  exclamation point!

i have to figure out the backsplash still.  i've been told to try this little interior design place downtown, but they are expensive like WOAH!

speaking of expensive, i think we've shifted the car pick for scott.  and i'm not quite sure how he feels about it, 'cos it's more than he was wanting to spend... hmmmmmmm...  i think we'll be making our final decision friday.  (i hope so, 'cos i'm getting damn sick of driving him around all the time LOL)  it's not that i mind that much, it's just all the other little errands i have to run in addition.  ya know?  like having to run to the grocery store 3 times in a row, or having to get the crap i forgot on campus and running scott to get the stuff out of his old car... all that kinda stuff.

i ran through a bunch of "super bowl" recipes today, too, and i found a really yummy looking spinach/artichoke dip.  i'm pretty excited to try it out!  especially now that i have a new crock to cook it in!  yay!  

okay, i think i'm going to run around in circles for a bit before picking scott up.

too much to do. and with no time.

well, sorry, i've been neglecting you lately journal.  and i really shouldn't' be doing it tonight, either, 'cos i have SO much to do. 

but i thought i'd say really quickly

1) scott totaled his car last week.  and he's kinda getting screwed on the insurance.  

2) we've kinda narrowed it down to two cars to replace the old one. (an 08 sonata and an 08 elantra)

3) i have so much homework. so. so. much.  i am reading 4-5 books a week now.  and that's incredibly difficult for me.

4) i was sick with some stomach bug this weekend and really until today.  it was yucky.

5) i have a new phone. i'm not sure about it yet.  it's a marked improvement from the old phone, but it has a REALLY sensitive touch screen, so i end up turning it off a lot.

6) i smell like hamburgers.  GAG. 

7) i'll be (hopefully) installing my counters/sink this weekend.  and putting up a "new wall" behind the sink.  derek, if you want to help, my dad and i would love to have you over!  heheehe

8) i have two baby banggai cardinals in my saltwater tank.  these little fish are the cutest little things i've seen ever!

9) i want nothing more than to sit on a warm beach, with a giant margarita, a few good books, and my ipod.  anyone want to do that for me?

okay.  later.

we need to talk.

hate hate HATES driving in 40mph wind with snow all over the ground!

that is all.  more later.

blurble blurble blurble

i was up at 5a today for work.  i feel as if i am walking around in a daze.  (i also get really really short tempered with people when i'm this tired, so i apologize to anyone i may have snapped at today)

anyhow, i got my oil changed yesterday.  woohoo.  i spent nearly 2 hours there, and only 15m were actually spent on my car.  does this seem wrong to anyone else?  (not the waiting, i anticipate a wait, but that it only took them 15m? i'm worried my car didn't receive the attention s/he needed)  oh well, at least it's good to go for my trek up north.

i really need to get to KC tonight.  i need to get a coat that is warm enough to wear in the winter.  

alright.  two more things.  

1) classes start tomorrow. *sigh*  three weeks for my final winter break just seems like such a gip. 

2) i'll be rid of the evil motorolla phone on friday evening!  horray!  goodbye white screen of death!

i need something to eat.

james' wishes are fishes.

i have a crap-ton to do today.  i need to;

 

*finish painting that back wall in the kitchen

*get an oil change for the car

*service the living room fishtank

*print out some directions to the place in minneapolis

*apply for the circulation-desk job at the LKSPL

*study for the GRE

*walk ruby

*do some MORE laundry (especially fold)

*clean up the house (it's amazing how quickly it falls apart after you spend an entire day cleaning)

*make lunch/ get some diet pepsi

this is what i would like to do;

*eat "chinese" food/ drink diet pepsi

*sit around the house in jogging pants and a hoodie

*play wii

*enjoy my last day off for over four months

well. at least i've showered.

stuff. i guess.

i've got a warm ruby lap-top right now.  *giggle*

i painted my little hallway today.  it's nearly pepto pink.  but not exactly, so that's good.  i also decided to do a little bit of work in the kitchen, and ended up with a lot more on my plate than i was expecting.  oy.  oh well.  it'll look really good soon.  and that's all that counts, right?

i need to get an oil change in the tucson tomorrow, since i'll be driving it up to minneapolis next week-end.  (maybe)  regardless, after all the milage that's already been put on it *cry* it needs an oil change.  i can't believe it already has over 3000 miles on it, and i've only had it since oct 31st. by next monday, i'll have 4200 miles on it.  OY!  

anyhow.  i should cut my nails.

i love neil patrick harris. so much.

oh goodness. i am so in love with neil patrick harris. just sayin'.

anyhow. i have until may 1 to apply for my grad program. and i NEED to apply. if i don't, i'll hate myself forever. seriously. i'll hate myself. (well, i might just have to apply for spring semester, so i can actually give them my transcripts) --- does anyone know what one does in that case? (ie, applying for grad school before you have graduated?)

(in love love love with NPH)

okay, i think i'm going to eat a bit of cake and head back to lawrence now.
take care folksters.

tomorrow. i paint.

i got to go where the people dance, i want some action.

i have a lot on my small plate today!  today, i am going to;

1) get myself a diet pepsi

2) paint those ugly shelves!

3) sweep/mop kitchen floor

4) laundry. lots and lots of it.

5) make some sense out of the bedroom. LOL (it's just cluttered)

6) possibly make some bread pudding (i've got a great loaf of wheatfield's walnut-raisin)

7) get the paint (and maybe actually DO the painting) for the hallway.

okay.  time to get busy.  get down.  and boogie-woogie.

t-minus one week

one week until my final semester as an undergrad.  and then, hopefully, grad school!  wow. (i bought 11 (or, 1/3rd) of my books for the semester.  can you believe i have 35 books i'll be reading?!  but, every class will be in one building!  yay!  i've NEVER had that happen.  not even when i was at washburn, a substantially smaller campus.

work has been kicking my ass this week.  mostly 'cos i've been sick sine the 24th of december, and my body still hasn't been able to kick back yet.  (but, today i feel remarkably better, mostly 'cos i was able to sleep until 8!)  but, that does mean i'll be working at 3. boo.

i'm 95% sure i'll be doing my kitchen project now.  if only i can convince chris and shay to help me cut my counters.  (i'm terrible at using saws, and they are amazing at it)  i really hope i can, i'd love to have my ideal kitchen!

these are the materials, in case you didn't want to have to retype all those weblinks. a backsplash, two countertops, a sink, and a faucet.  obviously. lol

all images are property of IKEA. they aren't my pictures.  all credit goes to www.ikea.com

kitchen remodeling. bwahahahaha!

i've changed my initial plans for roadtrip '09 quite a bit.  but, i'll still be taking one.  length, and location are going to change for sure, but, i need to do what i can afford right?  

hmm... anyhow, on to the meat and potatoes of the blog entry.

i am trying to do a lot to make this house look a bit better.  par example.  i am going to put up some frame pictures of the SF trip, and a rasterbation picture in the living room.  i'm going to paint those ugly-ass shelves in the kitchen a shade of greyish blue.  i'm going to put up a new bookshelf (somewhere?).  i am going to paint the ugly bathroom vanity a nice shade of chocolate brown (it's waterstained "oak"-color right now).  i'm going to paint the little hallway between bathroom/kitchen a shade of pale pink.  and i'm going to see how much work it'd be to rip up the NASTY linoleum tile in the kitchen.

my MASTERPIECE though... is the kitchen counters. and sink. and faucet.  

i am going to (perhaps) take out the countertops (they are WARPED beyond repair, because they were installed incorrectly, and water has seeped into them.  the sink is an abomination, and grosses me out so much, we do the dishes on top of plastic containers.  and the faucet... LOL.  

these are the projected plans.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S09847462

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70059657

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00085042

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10124081

yeah, i know, it will cost money.  duh.  but, i figure we have another 3-4 years (at the very least) in here, and i'd like to enjoy what i live in, ya know?  

eventually, i'm going to try and rearrange the set up in the house too, and get a new dining table, and use my current table as a desk.  (it's really hard to have more than two people sit at this table, considering it's made for two people LOL)  but, that's all future-war stuff.  

anyhow, i think i shall take a nice shower now.  toodle-oo.

a new year. holy hell!

okay, the subject heading for this post is misleading, it has almost nothing to do with the new year.  instead, i'm going to fill you in on this great revelation i had today. 

for my graduation present to myself, i am going to take three weeks in june, and drive around the southwest.  here is my itinerary, in its infancy.

start in Lawrence.  make my way to Taos, NM.  from Taos, go to White Sands desert.  from White Sands, make my way to the Grand Canyon.  after the grand canyon, go to monterey bay.  after Monterey Bay, head home, north, allowing me to go to Lake Tahoe. 

i'll also be stopping in many towns along the way, but this map gives a general idea.  i'm going to sleep in my car, and in a tent.  and my only concern is bathing.  'cos.. um... yuck.  i'll stay in hotels every once in a while, but three weeks of hotels = lots of money.  

i also won't do this if gas approaches 2.50$ a gallon, either.  

suggestions, donations, places to stay, are all welcome, and appreciated :)

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