legovanan
I look back to where I was this time last year. For one, at Amanda's house with Melissa. I remember that night.. We sang, fought over what CD to listen to, watched movies, listened to them two talk about guys, gave advice, and made new year resolutions which I still have.
I haven't seen Amanda since August and Melissa since June. I've barely talked to them several times, and the conversations weren't what they used to be. I miss them.
I had twelve resolutions last year, and I rated them from 1-5, 1 being the hardest and 5 the easiest. One of them I find just plain stupid now. I don't need a bf. Can't believe I wrote that.
The one that was the hardest I didn't achieve: Limit Tolkien-affiliated activities to once a week. AS IF!
I did stay off the phone. I barely talk on there anymore, just once in a while with Kathleen, and sometimes with people I haven't heard from in a while, but not like I used to.
I still think about a certain person, but not to the extent I used to, and I've given up on it.
I regret to say that I'm still not very nice to my mom, and I'm still on the Internet alot. I still obsess alot, and my grades haven't improved. haha.. If Isaac came on here he'd start yelling at me about that one. "YOUR GRADES ARE GOOD ENOUGH ELAINE!" ::sigh:: good old times
I do read alot more. I think the phone time went to that. I exercise more and I think my writing has improved a bit, and though I haven't written poetry in the recent months, I'm rather proud of the ones I did over the summer.

Now.. my resolutions for this year:
1. Cut Internet time
2. Composure; keep my cool under fire. Like Isaac says: Don't panic!
3. Don't let my pride make me blind to what others have to offer.
4. Letting myself "go" once in a while, so I don't have to regret all the things I didn't do.
5. Not being so uptight, as Olivia says.
6. Spend less time reading about gymnastics and more on world events.
7. Softening my words a bit. Learning to differentiate a debate between a common social conversation.
8. Don't let my desire to win and be the best get the best of me.
9. Taking more pictures; recording more events
10. Be kinder to parents
11. Take piano to the next level
12. Improve grades
13. Improve Chinese
14. Make time for friends

hmm... what else is there? I won't ask the impossible of myself, things like forgetting the existence of the male gender, or forgetting that Tolkien and Middle-Earth ever existed.
I think lots of people don't understand why I can get so obsessed with things, like Lord of the Rings and gymnastics. I think it helps me forget. Leave the constraints of my world. I shall probably elaborate at a later time.
O yes. Before I went to China, went to Knott's with Ashley for her birthday. Me, Camron, Ashley, Isaac, Andres, Anna, Jessica, and Ashley's brother Nick and his friend Bryan. It was a very interesting and enlightening day. I think Camron and I talked for three hours straight about psychological and philosophical related topics. Character analyzation for the most part.
Happy new year!!!

legovanan
I'M BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! on the phone with Elsa, who is being a stupid "loser" who's "letting it go". and she's rambling about blue.

1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?: I went to England!!!!! THE MOST AWESOME PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!! i want to be there...

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?: some of them, and i'm making them tomorrow night

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?: no... though one of my aunts is pregnant.

4. Did anyone close to you die?: no... i hope not

5. What countries did you visit?: GREAT BRITAIN!!!!!!!!! Ireland and China (and the US, where I live)

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?: go to Europe!

7. What dates from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?: July 7 when I first laid eyes upon the fair green land known as England. December 14--LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING EXTENDED EDITION CAME OUT!!! not only was i excited, but depressed as well for it is the last time a movie shall come out...

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?: I don't know... Silver Coyote?

9. What was your biggest failure?: I have too many... probably letting my pride get the best of me at times, and withholding myself from things I really wanted to do. The only things you ever live to regret are the things you never did.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?: sprained my wrist three weeks before my piano exam, which made my dad say that i would never play basketball again, especially before a piano exam. got sick a couple times, and allergies were killing me at times.

11. What was the best thing you bought?: stuff from Britain

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?: umm... i don't know. Camron's on a few occasions??

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?: many people

14. Where did most of your money go?: i don't spend much money

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?: LOTR!!!!!!!! and gymnastics

16. What songs will always remind you of 2004?: "Into the West"... it represents so much about this year. my transition from jr high to HS, my trip to England, the conclusion of the trilogy, leaving friends behind, etc.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i) ...happier or sadder?: it drives me crazy as I go through my archives and read my entries from this time last year, and I'm always complaining, always ingrateful.. i had no idea that I was so lucky back then... maybe I shall see this time right now as happiness later on.

ii) thinner or fatter?: i don't know... about the same: maybe a bit thinner.

iii) richer or poorer?: i don't know. my family shares the money. yes elsa, communism

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?: taking risks, yes olivia.. o grandma

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?: argue

22. Did you fall in love in 2004?: i don't know...

23. How many one night stands?: o come on, i'm not answering that

24. What were your favorite TV programs?: ER, Reba, Jeopardy

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?: there are many people I know this year that I didn't last year.

26. What was the best book you read?: erm... i've read many. probably "The Other Boleyn Girl" or "Queen of this Realm"

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?: Kate Rusby

28. What did you want and get?: LotR: RotK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

29. What did you want and not get?: erm... many things

30. What was your favorite film of this year?: The Lord of the Rings

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?: went ice skating with my friends

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?: didn't have to leave my friends from CHJH behind

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?: me and fashion are antonyms

34. What kept you sane?: the Lord of the Rings and writing

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?: erm.. Aleksei Nemov

36. What political issue stirred you the most?: what political issue DOESN'T stir me up?? probably the election and Iraq

37. Who did you miss?: Connie!!!! Elsa!!! Olivia!!! Isaac, Roshi, etc!! lots of ppl

38. Who was the best new person you met?: best? i don't want to say best bcuz I've met loads of new ppl and their awesome. Elsa, Olivia, Sydney, Sam, Matthew, Patrick, Joe, Tim, if I forgot you, don't hurt me.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004: Don't be afraid of change, because it will happen, and sometimes you don't know if it's for the better or the worse.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see, all of your fears will pass away
Safe in my arms, you're only sleeping...
The ships have come to carry you home
And all will turn to silver glass
A light on the water
Grey ships pass
Into the West...

legovanan
like i promised, Nemov pictures!!!
this is him on high bar, my personal favorite apparatus, especially to see him work on (and Bondarenko, of course) but it's also Nemov's best... 6 release skills, he should've gotten that gold!


weird little collage here:


yea... pity there's not many Bondarenko pics out there.. i wish i could take all the times they show him on TV and freeze the images, and put them on here!!! Then there's Nikolai Kryukov.. poor guy. tore his Achilles right after winning the all-around at world 1999, but he's a lot better now, and he's younger than the Aleksei's.

*yawn* TWO MORE DAYS!!! must get presents, cards, etc out, and get packed!!! I WANT ROTK EE!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S BEEN OUT FOR MORE THAN TWENTY FOUR HOURS, AND I DON'T HAVE IT!!!!!!!! THE TORTURE!!!!!!!!!!1

legovanan
finally found the name of the gymnast i was looking for. they show pictures of her all the time, and she's such a little kid, but a great gymnast: Ekaterina Lobaznyuk
i have to learn how to say that.
not a great picture, but a picture it is, of dear Aleksei Nemov, greatest gymnast to ever live, or ever will live.


i shall be posting more of him in action and hopefully stills as well!

NO!!!!! BIOLOGY TEST TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!

legovanan
it's been years since i first watched "Tuck Everlasting" when it came out in movie theaters... now i'm listening to clips of the soundtrack, which i wish i had, and i love it so much! Kristina's letting me borrow the film!! i can't wait to see it again!!! it's sooo sweet and sad, and i love the message. i sob every time i see it. i love their concept of time and change, and it correlates with Tolkien's notion with the Elves as well. good movie, and book, though many find the book boring... unappreciative fools!!!

THE WEEKEND IS OVER AGAIN!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOO

took my daddy to the airport last night.. he's in China now!! where i shall be at this time next wk.
spent the day wrapping, playing piano, and writing cards. got Sam's present all done! have andy & olivia left, and i don'tk now what to get Olivia...

legovanan
what to get people, what to get people, that is the question... What to get Sam?? Olivia? i made Connie's and Elsa's, and they both look beautiful. Andy, i sent my mom to look for it, and Kathleen--you'll love it!! Sydney, i have hers. I have half of Joe and Tim's present, which I need to mail, and what to get Camron?
ah well, my wishlist:
1. The Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King Extended Edition (I LOVE YOU KATHLEEN!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!)
2. The Silmarillion
3. The Histories of Middle Earth
4. Spiderman II DVD
5. "The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory
6. "Underneath the Stars" CD--Kate Rusby
7. "Little Lights" CD-Kate Rusby
8. "Hourglass" CD--Kate Rusby
9. a plane ticket from LAX to Heathrow Airport, but that's wishful thinking
10. anything related to LotR and Tolkien
11. i know i'm missing something... ah well, anything! BOOKS!! gift cards from Borders

AH!!!! WHAT TO GET PEOPLE?!?!! what would a 20 year old British guy want??? what would a crazy, sugar-high lunatic by the name of Olivia want? except more candy, which is dangerous to give her!

legovanan
went to Canyon Hills' Third Annual Coyote Classic today. it was awesome!! got to see everybody, judge and time, and coach!! it was awesome!! Olivia seriously traumatized Connie... it was hilarious. SHE THOUGHT MR. KALMAR WAS CONNIE'S DAD!!!!!! I MEAN... GET YOUR ETHNICITIES CORRECT WOMAN!!!!!!!!!!! IS THERE A RESEMBLANCE??? i just about died from laughing.
i miss Canyon Hills!!

working on xmas presents and hw