I spent the last week in Anchorage and Whittier, Alaska. My brother got married. No, we have no family in Alaska. No, I don't know why they chose Whittier, of all places.

Besides seeing jumping salmon, otters, sea lions, moose, dall sheep, and bald eagles, I got to see Surpise Glacier calf 3 times! That's when chunks fall off into the water. Amazing.

So, fluids, nyquil to sleep, and my Z-pack. I'm a happy camper.

Man, next quarter's book list reads like "Who's Who In 2000 Years of Philisophical Thinking!" Euripedes, Homer, Plato, Foucault, Sophocles, Freud, Descartes, Lock, St. Augustine....Oi. That's just a smattering. 16 books for 2 classes, and my 3rd class hasn't posted the texts yet.

On Thursday, I've got my yearly checkup. It's going to be particularly interesting, as I don't really want to be on hormonal birth control anymore. It's been five years. I don't know what my cycle actually is anymore. So, I'll talk with here and see what it would take, and what she reccomends.

And I am NOT looking forward to having my blood drawn. I don't do well, and it takes about half an hour for me to not feel dizzy afterwards. I've learned to bring my own juice for it.

On Thursday, I've got my yearly checkup. It's going to be particularly interesting, as I don't really want to be on hormonal birth control anymore. It's been five years. I don't know what my cycle actually is anymore. So, I'll talk with here and see what it would take, and what she reccomends.

And I am NOT looking forward to having my blood drawn. I don't do well, and it takes about half an hour for me to not feel dizzy afterwards. I've learned to bring my own juice for it.

After requiring EC twice in 6 months, i'm back on it

So, at the end of this cycle, off hormones I go. She recommended I try the Today Sponge, so I've got two boxes on their way from a pharmacy in Canada. I got there through the Today Sponge's website. My doctor was really quite pleased with this, and recommended it highly. So we'll see how it goes. In addition, any other method I try will always be backed up by a condom.

This visit was different. They took a urine sample for the first time. I've never had to give a sample in the last 5 years of having my checkups. They're testing for UTI's, apparently. According to the nurse, not everyone knows they have one, so they do this regularly now. Go figure.

Due to bad communication on many parts, I ended up driving an hour and a half in the worst traffic I've ever seen with only 5 hours of sleep. Not a good combo. I made a booboo. Similar to Feb 2003, If you want. It's on page one. Though, not nearly as bad, I think.

Though, I did get compensated for gas.

I had my wisdom teeth removed. And after hearing all the horror stories, and freaking out, I'm 4 days post-surgery and my top sockets are essentially already healed. That is, the stitches came out, and I can brush again. Whoooopppeeee!

I am growing weary of this diet, though. I'm getting better at balancing it. Today for breakfast was applesause and half of one of those yogurt smoothie things. Lunch was eggs, apple sausce, mashed potatoes and chocolate cake. But this cake is so unbelievably rich, that it melts in your mouth.

School starts Wednesday. I start my job Thursday. I've to two dentist appointments on Tuesday, and today, I get new shoes!

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- PERVasive

They periodically let me know they're still healing. I've still got holes on the bottom, but I've also got a nifty syringe to flush them with, so I can eat solid foods again.

It's gone alright. I leaked in the middle of the night, but that was a pad failure. It's been a bit heavier, but it's really ended, three days into it.

It was me, my bud, her husband and her baby. Man. That little boy is such a ham! He loves basketball, too. His uncle (who works for the team) took him down to the locker room, and he got to meet Squatch, the mascot. He got an autograph, too!

I warned the nurse I had issues. I had my apple juice and my animal crackers. She started taking my blood, and out I went. I remember her calling frantically for a doctor (who was rather cute, too. ). They then wheeled me in a wheel chair through the waiting room to an exam room to finish drawing my blood, because I had passed out before the finished. I warned them!

So. Yeah. I have one week left of my education. One week and two papers. Am I scared? I don't know. I've got a job that I love, with a raise coming next quarter. I've decided to move out in the next three months, in with my boyfriend of four years.

But at the same time, I've completed 15 years of education. I'm 20 with a Bachelor's degree. There are so many possiblities, and I'm not sure where I want to go. It's not a specialized degree, but it's enough of a base.

I have now completed my Bachelor's degree. I turned in my last final yesterday, and in 20 minutes I'll be done with work for the quarter.

I have no idea where to go from here. I have dreaded this day. I've been a student for 2/3 of my life, and now I need to find something to support myself. As much as I love it, tutoring won't pay all the bills.

I don't know what I'm feeling.

I'll figure it out after Christmas. At the very least, I HAVE a job, so I'm in a better position now than I was when I graduated high school two years ago.

Now I've got to start paying off that loan. I don't want to wait until I'm on social security...

I'll have a graduation party in June. When I walk. I've been threatened with bodily harm (just kidding!) by my family, of which I am the first to graduate from a four-year institution.

In other news, I can actually fit into this awesome dress that I found for $50. It was a weeeeee bit too small in the chest, but I recently changed my diet to cut out gluten and chemicals, so consequently have been eating slightly better foods, and have re-started my weight loss. Viva good food and exercise! Mmmmm....

Christmas was good to me. I have all sorts of fun things for when I move out.

Then...tragedy. Or rather, stupid punk kids who know nothing about anything. Grrrr.

All the cars on my small street were broken into on Tuesday. Obviously, whoever did were idiots. I can break into a car and not cause damage with simple wire, but apparently a smash-and-grab job is more fun. Though, that actually takes effort.

Point being, they destroyed my lock, and the body shop says $831 to fix it. They tried prying the door handle off before smashing my lock. My car isn't even worth the money. Not with the existing body damage and transmission problems.

And all they took was my cellphone charger. That's it. $30 charger for $831 worth of damage. <explanatives....>

I've turned 21.

Better yet, I turned 21 and went to Las Vegas.

I flew in on Wednesday (My actual B-Day). We checked into the Bellagio. From there we spent time at New York New York and picked up tickets for the evening's entertainment from Excalibur. The, uh, evening entertainment was a blast. First time I've ever seen a strip show, and Thunder from Downunder is a good one to see. I was pulled on stage...

Next day was a trip to Kohl's in Henderson, and I got an adorable outfit. Dinner was at the Hard Rock Cafe, where the WHOLE resturant participated in a rousing rendition of YMCA. That night, we stayed at THEhotel, near Mandalay Bay. We also went to Luxor for a bit. That was such a nice hotel! It was like staying in a modern art piece. I also got to go to the Coca Cola store, and we wandered through the MGM Grand.

The last night, Friday, we stayed at the Stratosphere. During the day, we went to the Mirage to see the white tigers, and then to Treasure Island. We saw Cirque du Soliel's Mystere--that was amazing. Simply amazing. We ate dinner at the Top of the World resturant, and that was the most expensive dinner I've ever had. Well worth it, though.

I'm going to Italy this summer. I'm finally making it to Europe.

Best of all?

I don't have to pay airfare or lodgeing! I'm helping represent my University, and they're footing the bill.