So, my grades for first term are finally in, and I'm super happy with them!

Medical Anthropology: 82

Food and Disease Prevention: 86

Biological Aspects of Human Sexuality: 78

Studies in Gothic Literature: 83

Plus, I got a 74% on my microbiology midterm (not as good as I'd hoped, but I can bump it up this semester, at least).

This brings my cumulative average to a grand total of 79.04-- that much closer to my goal of + 80!! Hurray!

Party time? I think so (and by 'party' I unfortunately mean cracking open my organic chemistry textbook so that I can actually get that 80 that I so want; maybe I'll put on a party hat while I study. That sounds like a good time!).

Always,

Nina xx

Cross-posted to my LJ:

I'm five days into my advent calendar. I love advent calendars, even though the chocolates are waxy and nasty-tasting. This year my mom bought me a Disney/Pixar's Cars one, which quite frankly disappointed me. I like the traditional advent calendars, which absolutely predictable chocolate molds (and a different mold for each day), my favourites being the squirrel, the mushroom, and the moon (I never understood why these were in a Christmas calendar, and so I loved them!)


Anyways, along with the advent calendar, there are some crucial factors to getting the best out of the holiday season. I am here to be your guide to holiday fun as we go through these easy steps:

1) the basic Christmas songlist (this is mine):
- All I Want for Christmas is You -- Mariah Carey
- All I Want for Christmas (is My Two Front Teeth) -- Theodore (of Alvin and the Chipmunks)
- Christmas Don't Be Late (The Chipmunk Song) -- Alvin and the Chipmunks
- Jingle Bell Rock
- Baby, It's Cold Outside -- Both the Dolly Parton/Rod Stewart and the Doris Day/Bing Crosby versions (at least, according to the files that I'd downloaded); there are so many versions of this song.
- Christmas Medley -- Barenaked Ladies feat. Sarah McLachlan
- Elf's Lament - Barenaked Ladies
- I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas -- ? (Mine is the one played during one of the Home Alone movies...)
- I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas -- ?
- Rocking Around the Christmas Tree -- Brenda Lee
- Step Into Christmas -- Elton John
- Last Christmas -- Wham!
- Santa Baby -- Eartha Kitt
- I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus -- The Jackson 5
- Winter Wonderland -- Jewel
- The Little Drummer Boy -- Ashlee and Jessica Simpson
- Let it Snow -- ?
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas -- Christina Aguilera
- All I Want For Christmas (Santa Can You Hear Me?) -- Britney Spears
- Santa Clause Lane -- Hilary Duff
- Fairytale of New York -- The Pogues
- The Twelve Days of Christmas -- Bob and Doug McKenzie
- It's a Marshmallow World -- ??
- The Winter Song -- Eisley
- Song for a Winter's Night -- Sarah McLachlan
- River -- Joni Mitchell
- As Long as There's Christmas -- Aselin Debison

... And whatever's a hit this year.

2) Christmas Movies and TV specials:

There is always a slew of new movies that crop up come the holidays, but there are some favourites that I watch pretty much every year:
- While You Were Sleeping
- Love, Actually
- Eloise at Christmastime
- Olive, the Other Reindeer
- Frosty the Snowman
- Jack Frost (both the Michael Keaton film and the 1934 UB IWerks animated short--find it on youtube)
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (Animated)
- Charlie Brown Christmas special
- The Care Bears Nutcracker Suite (Yes, I know--I'm supremely cool)
- The Nightmare Before Christmas
- The Santa Clause
- To Grandmother's House We Go

...and I used to watch an animated film called "Christopher the Christmas Tree", but I can't ever find it anywhere these days.

3) Fun Stuff:
This is everything that you should do, so long as you have the means and the Christmas spirit:
- Make snowangels
- Ditto for snowmen, snowballs, and snow forts
- Go to a Christmas walk or some other event
- Drive around and look at pretty Christmas lights and decorations
- Stir a hot chocolate with a candy cane
- Sing Christmas songs at the top of your lungs

...and much, much more!

Happy Holidays!

Always,

Nina xx

Some random pics from our final tech dress rehearsal last week for Romeo and Juliet.

Random tableau

Benvoli(a), Romeo, and Pia (Me)

Not a very good capture, but a ghouls haunting Juliet as she takes Friar Laurence's potion (I have to fall off the back of the riser on purpose during this scene so that I can scurry covertly offstage and be ready in time for my next cue)

And the very end of the show

Always,

Nina xx