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  <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar</id>
  <title>Spinning Myself Around in Circles</title>
  <subtitle>A chuckle with a snort</subtitle>
  <author>
    <email>starsile@jmu.edu</email>
    <name>Laura</name>
  </author>
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  <updated>2009-12-16T01:33:24Z</updated>
  <lj:journal userid="921798" username="smilingstar" type="personal"/>
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  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:105772</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/105772.html"/>
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    <title>Let's Break the Window Panes</title>
    <published>2009-12-16T01:26:38Z</published>
    <updated>2009-12-16T01:33:24Z</updated>
    <lj:music>Silversun Pickups</lj:music>
    <content type="html">searching for jobs is depressing...&lt;br /&gt;i spent way too long today on facebook untagging "compromising" pictures and searching websites for job openings. &lt;br /&gt;maybe i'll move to portland...&lt;br /&gt;where the hell do venues post job openings? because i can't find any unless they are owned by live nation&lt;br /&gt;maybe i'll move to philly...&lt;br /&gt;cover letters are the bane of my existence. jobs that do not require them rock. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i went to "you made it" with anna on sunday. painting ceramic objects is very therapeutic. my apt plus anna and bonnie then made a delicious! dinner. afterwards anna and i went to the physics house and played poker with spare change til 2 am. it was an awesome day, it makes me wish i had stayed in hburg a little longer. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;my aunt sent me a bunch of old photos of my mom and her family. she also sent me a bunch of the photos my mom took while on a school trip to rome and vatican city. i think i will hang them up in my room once i got back to the apt. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i got my grades today. 2 B+, 2 A-, 2 A...not too bad. i am still really bitter about my B+ in retail mktg. it was by far the hardest class of the semester and i was one freaking percentage point away from an A-. i suppose it really doesn't matter because there is no way for me to graduate with honors because of my grades from my 1st and 2nd year. i have been on the dean's list the past 3 semesters, and literally even if i get all As next semester, I can only bring my overall gpa to 3.4...oh well. it's not like i was trying to go to grad school...not anytime soon at least.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;tomorrow i am going to go christmas shopping and i could not be happier.</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:105496</id>
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    <title>smilingstar @ 2009-11-26T10:59:00</title>
    <published>2009-11-26T15:59:03Z</published>
    <updated>2009-11-26T15:59:03Z</updated>
    <content type="html">there are only 2 good things about today: &lt;br /&gt;1) i can feel okay about eating pecan pumpkin pie for breakfast, which is pretty crucial. &lt;br /&gt;2) tomorrow is black friday, which means shopping madness.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i finished the virgin suicides last night. i like it. &lt;br /&gt;i started reading a million little pieces. so far it is hard to read because of how intense it is, but it's good. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;saw angels and demons the other night with noelle. whatta disappointment. biggest disappointment of 2009 i think...maybe...probably.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;last night i spent a good amount of time researching places to live in charlottesville. this is my favorite one: &lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.brac.com/details.cfm?config=4022"&gt;http://www.brac.com/details.cfm?config=4022&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;there are also a few apts &amp; townhomes i liked close to the downtown area. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;on any other day of the year i never feel sad about not spending time with my family. why let society make me feel bad about today? &lt;br /&gt;i am too adhd to watch the macys day parade, and thus i hate it. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i wonder what movies they are playing tonight at amc...</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:105318</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/105318.html"/>
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    <title>Substitution</title>
    <published>2009-11-24T20:21:51Z</published>
    <updated>2009-11-24T20:24:15Z</updated>
    <lj:music>Andrew Bird - Fiery Crash</lj:music>
    <content type="html">Can we talk about how this day of something turned into nothing. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Can we talk about how nothing has been the same with Chris since he asked Andrea to be his girlfriend. It really bothers me how he doesn't care about any social issues. I know he isn't, but his apathy seems so small minded. The world goes far beyond yourself, and your surroundings. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Can we talk about how my dad bought me overpriced bath towels from Pottery Barn Teens back in high school. I don't know what kind of terry they are using, but they are still the best towels I have ever used. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Can we talk about how our holiday feast made everything seem so final. A crap ton of our closest friends came over to our apt and we had a huge potluck. Even though this is only Thanksgiving break, and I have to go back to JMU for two more weeks...it felt as if the semester was coming to a conclusion. Next semester I am probably going to cry all the time when I am drunk about how it will all be over in May. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Can we talk about how I hate the winter, and how dry it makes me skin, yet I would leap at the chance to move to NYC or Boston. Heck, I would move back to London in a heartbeat if I had one, single person to do it with. If anyone would move to NYC with me, or if Becca goes to law school in Boston, I am so gone. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Can we talk about how in my drunken stupor last night I asked Geoff Snow out on a date....and about how I am going to act like it didn't happen. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Can we talk about how Andrew Bird's songs seem like the perfect songs to listen to during this kind of weather?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In closing, I MUST see Angels and Demons ASAP  : )</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:104988</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/104988.html"/>
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    <title>MY APT IS AN ICE BOX</title>
    <published>2009-11-12T05:40:15Z</published>
    <updated>2009-11-12T05:43:40Z</updated>
    <lj:music>Andrew Bird</lj:music>
    <content type="html">I am so busy with schoolwork it makes me want to cry. I cannot wait for Thanksgiving break...better yet, winter break. Next semester should be better. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I don't mean to be a judgmental bitch, but I recognize that I don't have the patience for people my own age anymore. Grow up. Grow a back bone. Or here's another one: you won't always be daddy's princess, so wise the fuck up. You really could have used my Business and Professional Communication course. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I finished Angels and Demons. It was good, but I liked Da Vinci Code so much better. The author, Dan Brown, just came out with a new novel that I must read sometime soon. I also just started reading The Virgin Suicides. It's pretty good so far. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The founder of TOMS shoes is coming to speak to all the graduating seniors in May. I'm pretty pumped for that! And I'm excited that the College of Arts and Letters is graduating on the quad. It is by far the best graduation spot on campus. I will be so miserable if it rains and then graduation gets put in the Convocation Center instead. The idea of graduating is frightening. Despite how excited I am to get a job, and move on with my life...for the past 16 years I have been a student. For the past 4 years I have known nothing other than JMU, and the idea of leaving chokes me up. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I had some sort of stability...some sort of idea of what is going to happen post graduation. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I think I am starting to know myself better than ever before.</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:104786</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/104786.html"/>
    <link rel="self" type="text/xml" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/data/atom/?itemid=104786"/>
    <title>And Fate Has Led You Through It</title>
    <published>2009-11-06T03:13:15Z</published>
    <updated>2009-11-06T03:13:15Z</updated>
    <lj:music>PB&amp;J - Young Folk</lj:music>
    <content type="html">I tried to go on an Alternative Spring Break trip, either an international trip, or a domestic flying trip. They put everyone's name through a program that randomly picks them, and so it is a lottery. Out of 208 people who signed up, I was literally the last one. I was put on the wait list, so we'll see what happens. Apparently I still have a really good chance because people drop out a lot. There are still sign ups for domestic driving trips in 2 weeks I think. So I'll try again then. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I'm ready for winter break! It's not that I don't like being at JMU. I just can't stand doing class work anymore. Just...3...more...weeks. THANK GOD!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My first small show for Concert Production and Promotion is tomorrow night. My friends, Parker, Reed, and Mike are going to put on a DJ showcase. I'm pretty pumped. I hope there's a good turnout. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I just need to say that Eleanor Rigby is the cutest hamster everrr! Now that she calmed down, and we can actually hold and play with her, she is awesome. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I saw Fourth Kind last night. So scary! Saturday night at 7 Bonnie and I are going to see 500 of Summer at the on campus theater. It'll be my third time seeing it, but I don't mind. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I miss Noelle!</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:104639</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/104639.html"/>
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    <title>You Wear Me Out</title>
    <published>2009-10-16T17:58:53Z</published>
    <updated>2009-10-16T17:58:53Z</updated>
    <lj:music>Taking Back Sunday - Miami</lj:music>
    <content type="html">the week's just fly by. the next 2 weeks are going to be hell. i won't post my schedule here, because let's be honest, no one else will care. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i am going to see a band called paper route that has been the opener for paramore on their current tour. this kid, ben, was able to book them to play a show in hburg. i have their cd, and it's pretty good. i'm excited. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i'm also EXCITED about seeing metric on nov. 23rd  : )&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;boy update:&lt;br /&gt;geoff snow: still up my ass&lt;br /&gt;brandon greenwood: collin and i had a meal with him and collin agrees, he isn't good enough for me. he is too much of a bro. &lt;br /&gt;hank: i have a crush! yesterday he messaged me with his number, and asked for mine. hopefully we will hang out very soon! i barely know him, and he already makes me smile. but i need to not get 10 steps ahead of myself. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;tomorrow i am coming home for noelle's 21st birthday!!!!!! wahhh so excited. this day has been 7 months in the making for me. &lt;br /&gt;and i get to see ted and alley. too much happiness!</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:104285</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/104285.html"/>
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    <title>Take Your Broke Ass Home</title>
    <published>2009-10-02T21:27:03Z</published>
    <updated>2009-10-02T21:27:03Z</updated>
    <lj:music>Girl Talk</lj:music>
    <content type="html">lady gaga was amazing! and that's all i'm going to say about that. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i really don't like geoff snow and he won't stop texting me. i can't blame him though...i completely led him on. &lt;br /&gt;brandon greenwood is booty texting me. he texted me today at noon to pretty much set up a booty call for 2:30 am when he gets off work...yeah that's not happening&lt;br /&gt;last night dan (the pirate) was flirting with me hardcore and being affectionate. i don't know how i feel about that...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;brad is on his way to pick me up and go to the downtown block party. i'm pretty pumped. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i need to get my act together and not miss  my 8 am class so often. apparently today was a bad day to miss...ohhhh wellll. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i really want to study abroad again this summer. i am interested in a 3 week trip that goes to turkey and greece. i could take a marketing class there rather than taking it next semester, and i would still walk in may. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i also really want to go on dan's roadtrip this summer. hopefully if i do go abroad again, the roadtrip won't commence until i am back. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i want to go skydiving after graduation!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i want lots of things.</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:104145</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/104145.html"/>
    <link rel="self" type="text/xml" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/data/atom/?itemid=104145"/>
    <title>All is Relative</title>
    <published>2009-09-25T16:18:09Z</published>
    <updated>2009-09-25T16:18:09Z</updated>
    <lj:music>The Decemberists</lj:music>
    <content type="html">Last night I went to see The Decemberists in concert at the Pavillion. It was amazingly good, and is def. one of the best concerts I have ever been to. Caitlin Mullins came with me and after wards we met up with Cheryl for a drink, and it was awesome to catch up with her. She seems so incredibly happy with her decision to leave JMU and move back to Charlottesville. Also while I was at the concert I ran into the daughter and wife of my London Trip Leader. I saw them again as we were leaving the concert and his wife said to me, "Wasn't that just an awesome concert, it is right up there with the Radiohead concert!" I think it is freakin' awesome that this 40ish year old woman enjoys going to Radiohead and Decemberists concerts. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It's sad that some people haven't grown up at all. It's sadder that some people feel the need to know personal information about people they are not friends with. If someone wants to know something about my personal life, they can ask me. They do not need to go through a third party...it's pretty pathetic. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It's FRIDAY!!! And it's raining...but that's ok. Time to go take a shower, go to my one class of the day, and then have a Mr. Jays date with BonBon. Lata!</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:103722</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/103722.html"/>
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    <title>The Wakeup Call to a Rented Room Sounded Like an Alarm of Impending Doom</title>
    <published>2009-09-15T01:11:23Z</published>
    <updated>2009-09-15T01:11:23Z</updated>
    <lj:music>Tamar Kaprelian: New Day</lj:music>
    <content type="html">Things have been really good. Wednesday I think I'm going to the hookah bar that is in Harrisonburg for the first time. Then Thursday is Late Night Breakfast, and line control for the Third Eye Blind tix sale starts. Also, I cannot wait to go camping at Sherando Lakes this Friday. Then JMU's first home football game is this Saturday night...mmm tailgating : )&lt;br /&gt;Also, my friend Brittany and her boyfriend Cole are having a joint bday party after the game. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;3 of my professors this semester are awesome, 2 are ehhh, and the last one...well his classes are really interesting, but the class is so much work. I didn't think I would be able to handle 6 classes, but thus far it is going pretty smoothly. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am so over my stress fracture. I want to be able to go to the gym, and not only do the bikes. I'm thinking I will just start using the elliptical machine soon even though I really am not supposed to. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Now that the Luke thing has ended, I suddenly have started to feel the loss of Ben. Pretty much as soon as things ended with Ben, I met Luke. I def. think being smitten by Luke covered up any sadness I had...and it is now showing its face. So for a little while I was doubly sad, and pretty pessimistic about romance. Ben treated me like crap, and it didn't work. Luke treated me so well, and it still didn't work out...he was just so quiet. I never felt comfortable being myself. I think London screwed us over. When I got back we had known each other for 3 months, but we weren't 3 months comfortable with each other because 2 months of it was internet and text message communication. But regardless, every day I feel less sadness. It just sucks to feel like someone was so significant to you, but you were so insignificant to them. I just keep telling myself that I'm only 21 and have plenty of time to find someone I click with physically and emotionally&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Okay, time to start reading.</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:103591</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/103591.html"/>
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    <title>smilingstar @ 2009-08-26T15:16:00</title>
    <published>2009-08-26T19:17:34Z</published>
    <updated>2009-08-26T19:17:34Z</updated>
    <content type="html">I ended things with Luke last night. It really hurt, but we aren't even close to being at the same point in life. I am so sure of who I am, and what I want...he doesn't have a clue. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I want to go back to London...now!</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:103366</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/103366.html"/>
    <link rel="self" type="text/xml" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/data/atom/?itemid=103366"/>
    <title>Around the Bend</title>
    <published>2009-08-18T19:20:24Z</published>
    <updated>2009-08-18T19:29:00Z</updated>
    <lj:music>The Asteroids Galaxy Tour</lj:music>
    <content type="html">I have started to read Catcher in the Rye, and so far it has held my attention but is kind of annoying. The narrator is a pathetic guy who complains about everything, and hates everyone. He just goes out to bars by himself and awkwardly approaches strangers. This is so mean to say, but I can kind of see why Brenton loves the book. Maybe I will have a different outlook once I actually finish it. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Kaelynne came to visit on Sunday, and left last night. Having her here was like a breathe of fresh air. It had def. been way too long since I had seen her. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow  : )</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:103112</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/103112.html"/>
    <link rel="self" type="text/xml" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/data/atom/?itemid=103112"/>
    <title>smilingstar @ 2009-08-14T11:17:00</title>
    <published>2009-08-14T15:32:14Z</published>
    <updated>2009-08-14T15:32:14Z</updated>
    <lj:music>Cold War Kids - Hang Me Out to Dry</lj:music>
    <content type="html">confusion to the max! maybe dan is right...maybe luke isn't really enough of a man. either way, if in his mind luke already knows our relationship will never become more serious, i want out now. if his feelings for me changed i could almost see him being too scared to tell me. the other night i had a dream about ben. he came back and we didn't discuss the fact that we haven't talked since hr graduated, but he was treating me like luke, in the sense that he was being affectionate and sweet. i wonder if this was my unconscious mind's way of telling me i need to find a guy who is manly like ben was, but treats me like luke. whatever, i can't think about it anymore. i just know that i will not be the first one to initiate contact with luke. if he leaves for harrisonburg tomorrow without talking to me/seeing me, i won't see him until i go back to hburg next wednesday or thursday. if that's the case, i def. think luke is a nice guy, but too much of a wimp for me.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i am bored. i feel boring. i need this semester of school to start soonsoonsoon. but i am not ready to be a senior by any means. i just want all our friends to keep going to jmu, and never leave. we can just keep partying without any real responsibilities til we die. yes please! it's really depressing to know that in a year this part of my life will be gone. it doesn't seem real. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;ok time to start my day.</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:102750</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/102750.html"/>
    <link rel="self" type="text/xml" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/data/atom/?itemid=102750"/>
    <title>I'm Giving It Away</title>
    <published>2009-07-27T19:08:28Z</published>
    <updated>2009-07-27T19:08:28Z</updated>
    <lj:music>Passion Pit - Eyes as Candles</lj:music>
    <content type="html">It is wonderful to be back in the US. I missed my bed and shower. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Despite how nice it is to be back home, being in Woodbridge without a job is miserable. I am so bored I could tear my eyes out. I really feel as if my brain is slowly turning into mush. The days go by sooo slowly here. I thought it was Tuesday, and was disheartened when I realized it's only Monday...part of me wants to jump into my car and drive to Harrisonburg, and stay til Wednesday night. If Dave weren't in my room I probably would. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Last night Ted, Noelle, Diana, and I went to Shirlington to see 500 Days of Summer. It was really goood, I highly recommend it. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Ok time to go meet Phil.</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:102536</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/102536.html"/>
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    <title>You Can't Explain How the Whirl Wind Pulled Me into the Hurricane</title>
    <published>2009-07-19T22:30:52Z</published>
    <updated>2009-07-19T22:33:51Z</updated>
    <lj:music>Deathcab for Cutie - Little Fury Bugs</lj:music>
    <content type="html">I can't believe this is the last week I will spend in London. Yesterday some of us went to the Tate Modern art museum. Then Meghan, Brad, and I went to the BEST fish &amp; chip place. It was super yummy. Today I went with Victoria and Caitlin to see the new Harry Potter movie in IMAX. I loved it, and really need to reread the book. Now I just finished my final paper for Film Adaptations. All I have left is an art review to revise, an art paper to write, to finish up my internship portfolio, and one in class final on Thursday morning. Then I am donedonedone, and free to enjoy London for the last day and a half. I am pumped because Wednesday afternoon some of us are going to see Wicked. It is so much cheaper to get tickets here than it is in NYC. After our final on Thursday morning Brad and I are going to meet up with Caitlin and go to the Peter Pan statues and Harrods. That night some of us are going to Chilis as a celebration of the end of the trip. Friday night I need to go on the London Eye. It has been the one thing I have wanted to do the entire trip, and I think doing it the last night will be a nice way to say goodbye. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tomorrow is my last day at my internship! A new girl came in last week, and she will be interning til the end of August. Her name is Ashley, she is from LA, and goes to school in San Fran. I am super jealous of her. She is really nice, and I am surprised because I kinda just expected people from LA to be snotty. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I seriously can't wrap my head around the fact that in 6 days I will be back in the United States. If I could transport everyone I love here, I would never go back.</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:102188</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/102188.html"/>
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    <title>They Call Me Quiet Girl, But I'm a Riot</title>
    <published>2009-07-13T18:11:42Z</published>
    <updated>2009-07-13T18:11:42Z</updated>
    <lj:music>The Mars Volta-Roulette Dares</lj:music>
    <content type="html">Paris was so amazing, but so expensive. Friday we went to the Louvre, Notre Dame, and the Museum D'orsay. It was pretty awesome to see the Mona Lisa, and a few of the other really famous pieces of art that are in the Louvre. But overall I preferred the Museum D'orsay because there was a lot of Impressionist art. That night we had a very late dinner near the Eiffel Tower, and then went and looked at it. It was really beautiful because it was all lit up. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Saturday we went shopping for most of the day. Then we had a delicious dinner, pregamed in the hotel room, and then went to a bar Becca recommended. It was called Pop In, and it was a lot of fun. I only had one beer when we pregamed, and then didn't drink at all once we got there. But it was so much fun dancing that I didn't really need the alcohol. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Sunday we actually went up the Eiffel Tower, went to the Arc de Triomphe, and then the Moulin Rouge before we had to head back to the train station to come back to London. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This week is our last week of classes, and then next week is finals. This weekend is going to packed full of doing everything I've been meaning to do in London, and haven't yet, and also writing papers. I have 3 papers and one actual final during the last week. It shouldn't be too bad, I just need to find the motivation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Last night I bought 2 tickets to go see the Silversun Pickups &amp; Manchester Orchestra in Richmond...very excited!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Ok, I need to read a play now. 11 more days before I'm home!</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:102073</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/102073.html"/>
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    <title>You Don't Amuse Me</title>
    <published>2009-07-06T10:38:43Z</published>
    <updated>2009-07-06T12:12:38Z</updated>
    <content type="html">I'm at work right now. There isn't much to do...hence why I am updating this again so soon. I could be working on things for classes...but eh, that'd be too smart. Hopefully things will pick up here soon. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I don't mean to sound like I am taking this experience for granted, or that I regret coming here, because I def. do not. But I miss home a lot, and could not imagine being here for an entire semester. It is ridiculously stressful living with 24 other people, and outside of work, never interacting with anyone else. When someone annoys me, I can't just go home and get my space so I can get over my frustrations. Rather, I have to continue to see that person and the tension builds up inside me. I need space...I need privacy. As the trip goes on there are less and less people I plan on seeing again after the trip, although I am sure this will change once I've been home and away from them for awhile. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I miss really good customer service all the time. I miss free public bathrooms. I miss shopping at Martins. I miss cheap beer. I miss having my own shower, and feeling 100% clean after I shower. I miss Eleanor Rigby. I missed seeing fireworks on the 4th of July. I miss my best friends, and my dad. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But I know once I go home I'll miss Pret. I'll miss being able to walk or take the tube practically anywhere. I'll miss Strongbow cider. I'll miss tons of entertainment all around the city for free. I'll miss all the museums. I'll miss seeing Caitlin and Brad everyday. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;On a happier note: Paris this weekend !!!   : )&lt;br /&gt;I'm really excited to go the Louve and the Eiffel Tower. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tonight I am going on a tour of the National Theatre. Then maybe I will actually work on one of the 4 papers I will have due during finals week. Or my presentation for next week. Meh...maybe!</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:101874</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/101874.html"/>
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    <title>My Life Be Like Ohhh Ahhh</title>
    <published>2009-07-05T17:50:47Z</published>
    <updated>2009-07-05T17:53:00Z</updated>
    <content type="html">I just got back from traditional tea at a fancy hotel. It was a fun thing to go do, and the food was amazingly good. It was my first cup of tea in England. Everyday at work I get offered tea, and I never have any. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Last night after the Gay Pride celebration we went to try and get into the Lady Gaga concert. Long story short, it did not happen. But I am actually glad I didn't get in because 3 people from our group got in at 10 PM, and she didn't start playing til around 2:30 in the morning. I would have been so pissed off by that point. So instead a bunch of us went to a Pajama Obama party. We missed the memo that it had been canceled. When we get to the place it was actually a mini concert, but because we were dressed in our pajamas they didn't make us pay to get in. Once we were inside we were surrounded by hipsters, and it was somewhat embarrassing that we were the only people in the entire place in our p-jams, but whatever it was still a lot of fun. The band that was playing was actually really good; they were called The Metros. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are some people I want to distance myself from. I used to want to spend a majority of my time with some of these people, and now I never have the desire whatsoever to hang out with them. Whatever, we grow up and friendships fade. C'est la vie. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;20 days!</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:101448</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/101448.html"/>
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    <title>My Iron Lung</title>
    <published>2009-07-05T01:24:29Z</published>
    <updated>2009-07-05T01:24:29Z</updated>
    <lj:music>Circa Survive</lj:music>
    <content type="html">I had an amazing weekend. On Friday we went to Brighton. Brad and I went on 4 rides. The funnest one was the one that flung us into the air. It gave us a beautiful view, as well as a thrill! Then we both rode the mechanical bull. I only lasted 3 seconds...whatever I tried! The only thing I bought there was a copy of Catcher and the Rye. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Today was the Gay Pride parade. I saw Boy George, and it was pretty cool. Sadly, my camera died half way through the parade. Oh well. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I cannot wait to go to Williamsburg! I am pumped to go to Busch Gardends with Luke. I hate getting drunk like I am now. Once I get home, I just get homesick. I can't believe that in 3 Saturdays from now I'll be back home. It's incredibly bittersweet.</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:101174</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/101174.html"/>
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    <title>You're the Apple of My Eye Anyway</title>
    <published>2009-06-29T21:36:13Z</published>
    <updated>2009-06-29T21:36:13Z</updated>
    <content type="html">I forgot to mention in the last post that I climbed a tree for the first time ever! It was an awesome experience! Haha&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I cannot wait for the rest of the summer! So pumped!</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:101028</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/101028.html"/>
    <link rel="self" type="text/xml" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/data/atom/?itemid=101028"/>
    <title>Hit Me With Your Best Shot</title>
    <published>2009-06-28T18:05:23Z</published>
    <updated>2009-06-28T18:05:23Z</updated>
    <lj:music>Vanessa Carlton- White Houses</lj:music>
    <content type="html">I just got back from a nice weekend trip. On Friday morning we went to Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral, and then to Bath. We stayed in a YMCA hostel, and I was living in a room with 3 other girls. We had bunk beds, and I felt like I was in summer camp. Caitlin (one of the girls I roomed with) hates when I burp, and she knows that I hate Beyonce. So every time I burp, she starts singing a Beyonce song. She is trying to condition me into not burping...it's kinda cute. Then the next day we took a morning trip to Bristol, and took a tour with a wannabe Pirate tour guide...it was kinda lame. After wards we came back to Bath and went to the Thermae Spa. We paid a good amount of money, but we got to spend 2 hours in all the different baths and pools. It was ridiculously relaxing. Today we went to the Roman Baths, stopped at Combre Castle on the way home, and I just got back not too long ago. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Luke is with his family in the Virgin Islands, and I am super jealous. He is sending me a postcard though.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Billy Mays died. I swear, I feel like celebrities have been dropping like flies since I've been here. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tonight Brad and I went to this dutch pancake place for dinner. My pancake was undercooked so I asked for nachos instead. I wanted to pay extra for chicken on top, but they wouldn't let me. When that happened I suddenly just missed America. In America they would have freakin' given me chicken. But whatever, I didn't get charged at all for my dinner, so that was sweet. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;26 days!</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:100803</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/100803.html"/>
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    <title>Everybody Wants the Thrill</title>
    <published>2009-06-18T18:10:11Z</published>
    <updated>2009-06-18T18:10:11Z</updated>
    <content type="html">Scratch what I said in my last entry about Luke. He is amazing. My computer automatically logs all AIM conversations in a folder. I don't care if it sounds pathetic, but sometimes while I am here I go back and re-read our last conversation because it makes me so happy. I just went back and looked at one we had the other morning and it made me smile like woah because he is so incredibly sweet. Despite how much I am loving it here, it is making me excited to come back. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;the other night we went to see the play, as you like it, at the globe. it was rough standing on my feet for 3 hours, esp because it rained for part of the show. despite all that, it was an amazing atmosphere and experience. very cool. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;we are going to see a film tonight at the british film institute. then i need to come back home and pack because tomorrow morning we are leaving for scotland!!!! i'm so pumped!</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:100584</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/100584.html"/>
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    <title>All I Can Do is Keep Breathing</title>
    <published>2009-06-13T21:43:29Z</published>
    <updated>2009-06-13T21:45:36Z</updated>
    <content type="html">I had a really good day. I got about 5 hours of sleep before I had to get up to see the Trooping of the Colours. It is this huge parade that celebrates the Queen's birthday. We had a pretty good spot, and I was able to get some pictures of her. Then after wards a bunch of us took a train to the Hampton Palace. It's about 30 minutes outside of London, and it was beautiful. When we visit all these old buildings, it is so hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that they were built so long ago. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tonight is Andrea's birthday party, and the fact that I am missing it is making me incredibly homesick. It's probably a bad thing if I am aching to be back home this soon...I am not even half way through the trip. I don't mean to sound like I am not loving it here, because I am. But I am always missing what I don't have. In 12 days it'll only be a month. God, that is so long.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I think what I had with Luke is starting to fade. Who knows...I guess I'll just see what happens when I get back.</content>
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  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:100106</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://smilingstar.livejournal.com/100106.html"/>
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    <title>This Is What You'll Get</title>
    <published>2009-06-10T11:28:32Z</published>
    <updated>2009-06-10T11:29:54Z</updated>
    <lj:music>Radiohead - 2+2=5</lj:music>
    <content type="html">I was supposed to go to my internship this morning. Long story short, it did not happen. All of the Tube workers are on strike til Friday morning. I got up and got dressed with the intention of walking to Parkers, and working. Then I realized that I have class at 1:30, and would only be there for about 2.5 hours before I would need to leave. It really just didn't seem worth it to me, so I emailed my boss and she seemed okay with it. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am going to my first Art History class today. I am pretty excited because we are going to the National Gallery for our outing. Yesterday's outing to this film museum place was the biggest waste of my time. Caitlin and I just watched different movies and fast forwarded, trying to find sex scenes. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I've started to listen to Radiohead, Lily Allen, and Passion Pit a lot. Passion Pit is coming to London later this month, but it's already sold out. The Silversun Pickups are coming to the same club too, but it's also sold out. Boo&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If they didn't have universal health care, I could live here forever.</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:99949</id>
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    <title>Hit the Ground, Look Around, But You Are Nowhere to Be Found</title>
    <published>2009-06-08T23:19:46Z</published>
    <updated>2009-06-08T23:22:16Z</updated>
    <content type="html">I don't know why I brought books to read to London. I have so little free time, that when I do have it, I don't want to read. I just finished reading my assigned chapters of Atonement. Although it is a ridiculously detailed book, almost to a fault, it does explain so much more than the movie. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Last week I went and saw the play entitled, "Foreplay". I don't think I have ever been that uncomfortable in my life. It was all about the spreading of AIDS, and had intense sex scenes, and a horrific rape scene. Tonight we went and saw War Horse, which was much much better. The story was only ehh, but it was beautiful to watch because of the scenery/backgrounds and props they used. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;On Sunday we went to Regents Park, and it is the prettiest park I have ever seen. Within the park is a place called The Rose Garden. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, and I would maybe even want to get married there. Maybe not have a huge ceremony there, but have a ceremony with just my future husband, and then come back to the states for the Big Show. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It's odd. I feel like the days fly by here, but at the same time I feel like I have been here for so long! I cannot wait to go to Scotland and Paris. Also, I think a few of us are going to go to Dublin when the SMAD Study Abroad trip is there towards the end of July. They also have a free weekend on the same dates, so it'll be awesome to explore Ireland with other JMU kids. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Well I think I'm done here. G'night!</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:smilingstar:99781</id>
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    <title>: )</title>
    <published>2009-05-31T22:07:11Z</published>
    <updated>2009-05-31T22:07:11Z</updated>
    <lj:music>The sound of our very annoying/loud room fan</lj:music>
    <content type="html">London has been amazing so far. We have been taking ridiculously long walks everyday, exploring different places. I'm talking like 4 - 6 hour walks. My roommates and flatmates are a lot of fun and really sweet. Long story, but some of us got into this VIP club that you had to be on a list for. While waiting in line we saw Vince Neil (lead singer of Motley Crue i think) come out of a car with like 5 butterface bitches on his arm. It was my first celebrity siting here in the UK! The club was kinda eh...the guys who got us on the list spent almost $1,000 on alcohol for all of us, and I only paid 15 pounds (20ish US dollars). It was pretty sweet...although the club wasn't all that much fun to be honest. I'm much more of a pub girl. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I broke down and cried so hard when my dad emailed me saying he had lost Eleanor Rigby. Thankfully, he just emailed me tonight saying he was able to capture her in my bathroom, and put her back in the cage. Such a sigh of relief!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I start my internship tomorrow, and classes on Tuesday. I'm pretty pumped. I feel after this the time is just going to fly by! There are 33 boroughs in London, and I feel like there is no time for me to possibly see them all. Today we did a scavenger hunt around central London, and our team won! The prize was this mouse pad that shows the Underground Tube system. I don't use a mouse...but it'll make a cool decoration in my apt back in Hburg. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I miss everyone so much! I have a cell phone that I have an awesome rate on. I need to find a place ASAP to put money on the phone, but afterwards I will be able to call people. It might be somewhat hard because of the time difference, but I'll try my best. But do not text me please. Texts are really expensive...only call! I'll post my number on here shortly. Seriously though, I'll be on AIM &amp; facebook...so that'll be an easy way to get in contact with me too. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Luke and I have been able to talk on AIM a good amount since I've been here. I'm just afraid that sometime in the next 2 months some other girl will realize how cute and amazing he is, and grab him up! But he already agreed to making me "welcome back" mixed cds. So even if he does meet someone else...I guess we'll still be friends? I hate that I have been going to parties at his house all year and he was never there because of his ex, and I was only able to meet him right before I left. Oh well, that's life!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;G'night!</content>
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