Back in the USA

I haven't had this blog for very long, and I've already gotten out of the habit of writing in it. I suppose this is to be expected since I had no (free) internet for nearly two weeks. Also, these past two weeks have been so FANTASTIC that I just don't know how to talk about them. I guess I could just make a bulleted list of the greatest moments:

-Surviving a 12-hour flight from L.A. to Auckland, New Zealand
-Arriving in New Zealand so early in the morning that we get to watch the sun rise
-Avoiding taking pictures of myself the first day in Auckland since we had to go nearly 36 hours without a shower
-Having to dance with a creepy, unattractive guy at a pub so that he wouldn't creep on my super-hot married friend and get her in trouble
-Seeing South Pole penguins at an underground aquarium
-Getting in FREE to the Minus 5 Ice Lounge - a bar made entirely of ice! - which normally has a $35 cover
-Seeing sheep being shorn in Rotorua, NZ
-Seeing ridiculously huge geysers and live kiwi birds
-ZORBING!!!
-Christopher and I ditching our group when we landed in Australia and navigating Sydney on our own in search of Kinokuniya bookstore and JOHN GREEN!!!!
-Being the only Americans at John Green's Sydney event other than John and his wife
-Arriving super early and sitting on the second row!
-Meeting communitychannel Natalie Tran!!!
-Seeing/petting/feeding kangaroos and koalas!
-Going on a harbor cruise
-Working with Dr. Eric Nelson of Emory University
-My friend Ashley's boyfriend flew all the way to Sydney to propose to her!
-SINGING THE MOZART REQUIEM IN THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Being on the same plane as Bernadette Peters for the 13-hour flight from Sydney back to L.A.

It was such an amazing trip. I miss it. I'm still jet-lagged. I can't fall asleep until 5 AM, and sometimes I accidentally sleep all day.

On a sadder note, I had to say goodbye to one of my best friends in L.A. My friend Lindsey (whom you may have seen here) moved to Guam to be with her husband. He's in the Navy and was recently stationed there. They'll be in Guam for at least 3 years. I know that long-distance communication is easier now than ever, but she's SO far away! And with this next school year promising to be my busiest ever, I'm afraid I'll never get a chance to talk to her. Either way, I've started saving for a flight to Guam next summer.

On a happier note, I went to my first wizard rock show a few days ago! Justin Finch-Fletchley and the Sugar Quills, The Whomping Willows, and The Moaning Myrtles came to the library by my house. I finally met Lauren!!!! We hugged. We took pictures. It was so exciting. The audience was awkward for Ben and me (tons of kids and a few awkward adults), but the show was great!

Finally, this trip helped me to discover my "type." Turns out I like New Zealand-Asian guys with crazy hair who play the guitar and wear thick-framed glasses. It's really very simple.

I'm ending with a few of my favorite pictures:


























Heroes re-watching status: Season 1, Disc 5
Currently reading: Harry, A History by Melissa Anelli
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Other side of the world, here I come!

I've been working, which is exhausting.
I went shopping today, which was annoying but successful.
I have so much packing left to do.
My mom and brother are driving me up to school tomorrow, and IN THE MORNING I LEAVE FOR NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA!!!!!!

I'm so excited, but I'm also filled with a certain amount of dread. I HATE flying. Well, I enjoy being up in the air and all, but I'm slightly terrified of the idea of flight. I've been on a plane many times, and I still haven't gotten over it. No amount of comforting statistics can convince my brain that air travel is safe. Baaaaahhhh.

OK. I can do this. Once that 14-hour flight is over, I will be in a magical land that many Americans never get to see. I will be singing the Mozart Requiem in the Sydney Opera House. I will (hopefully) be seeing John Green at a bookstore in Sydney. It will be an AMAZING, once-in-a-lifetime trip. I can do this.

So this is probably my last blog post for a few weeks. To hold you over until I return, here's a video of me doing the Hoedown Throwdown. :-P

Bye guys! See you when I get back!

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Days 'til I head Down Under: ONE!!!

Haircut and Homos

Hello, everyone! Guess what? I finally got that haircut I've been teasing you with for weeks!


Do you like? I like. SO much. My head feels so much lighter. My short hair dries on its own in less than twenty minutes, as opposed to the hour and a half that my long hair took. I can buy shampoo half as often as I used to. And...AND!...it styles itself pretty well on its own. No awkward flip-outs. I can let it air-dry and not have to put it immediately in a ponytail. That's the punchline.

I feel strongly that this haircut was a positive life decision.

In other news, I just finished Maureen Johnson's The Bermudez Triangle. I thought it was great. There's really nothing monumental or life-altering about the story, but that's why it's so good. They're just three normal teenage girls dealing with life and relationships. Some of these relationships happen to be lesbian relationships, but it didn't really. I really felt like I understood their pain, even though I've never dated a girl. It's not a book about lesbians; it's a book about people. Nothing about the book shouts, "OMG LOOK WE'RE GAAAAAAAYYYYYY." The story is interesting, yes, but bigger deal is what the book accomplishes - normalcy.

I feel like I didn't explain it very well. It's also nearly 4:00 AM.

That's all for tonight. I'm REALLY trying to post a video or two before I leave for Australia/New Zealand. Video-making is so much harder when I live at home. Siiiiiigh.

Did I mention that I'm going to New Zealand and Australia? Oh. I am.

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Days 'til I head Down Under: 4