bagelriffic

i found a tattoo of your avatar and saved it for a while but i forgot whos avatar it was
dont worry i saved it

Apparently there is a character limit to these posts.
Actually, I haven't listened to Mike Portnoy with A7X, mostly just from Dream Theater and his work with LTE. If you like Portnoy's drumming style, then I would highly suggest that the band you check out is Dream Theater. Technical virtuosity isn't everyone's piece of cake, but I never get tired of listening to them...every album has a different feel to it while maintaining their own unique, overarching style. Haha...I love it! Do you have any music recommendations?

Oh yeah...I used to follow the NFL a lot too, but now all the Panthers do is suck and I'm definitely a fair-weather fan -- who's your team? College football and tennis are basically the only sports I've been following this year. The only time of the year that I really follow college basketball is during March Madness. Fun stuff, though! As for studying abroad, I'm lucky in that I go to a school that makes it incredibly simple and easy for students to pick a program and spend a semester abroad. At some schools, your financial aid and scholarships don't count towards a semester abroad, which I would never be able to afford. So that is a huge bonus.
Also, I may not be the best person to ask for college advice...I'm actually planning (hoping) to transfer to a different school for the fall. The most important thing to me coming into college was to find a community that I could get involved in and really feel like I belonged. Academics and learning were and still are very important to me too, but being a part of the larger community is really what I wanted most out of college and I just haven't found it here. Maybe I'm too much of an idealist and I'm unrealistic in my expectations, but I just feel that college is supposed to be so much more than what I've had here so far. I haven't had any bad experiences, but I can't help thinking I would feel more in sync and happier somewhere else, with people whose values and goals meshed more with my own. I think my top advice would be to really get involved in college life outside of classes. Find things you're passionate about and search out similarly minded people. Doing that has been the thing that's helped me make the most of this whole experience...building relationships, engaging people. And not even just other students...there are great professors at every school who can really help you out, provide guidance, or even just be a kindred spirit. The hard part is putting forth the effort to get to know them. Another thing that I think may be common to INFJs is an over-riding sense of perfectionism. My first semester of college was so so stressful because I wanted all of my assignments and work to be perfect. I don't want that to happen to you (if that even is something that you struggle with in the first place) because the college experience is something to enjoy and a time to experience personal growth. Don't allow classwork to drown out other aspects that are equally important. Going back after 6 years is definitely a bold move to take, and I think it's amazing that you're set on doing that!

This is a little embarrassing to admit, but I used to be a huge Lord of the Rings geek...and when I found out that they shot the films in NZ was when my obsession started. But really, it just seems like a great place -- amazing scenery, a lot of nature balanced with interesting urban areas, people who are environmentally conscious, and I also really like the fact that it's a little isolated from other countries. Speaking of the World Cup, I would really love to be able to go to Brazil in 2014. One of my uncles is Brazilian and into football and lives near Rio...but who knows where I'll be there at that point in my life. Are you a football/soccer fan? I'm actually going to be studying abroad through my school in South Africa. Professors from my college are going with us and we take our classes through them, so we'll get to travel around a lot rather than just staying in one place, like Cape Town. I'm super excited!
Cool cool...one of my favorite musicians is a drummer, Mike Portnoy. As far as music goes, I listen to a range of different things (also, I'm really bad with genres so if you're a genre nazi, I apologize in advance!). Most of the time I like older artists like Simon & Garfunkel, Neil Young, Jackson Browne, etc. and bands that have more of an 'indie pop' feel...Belle & Sebastian, Peter Bjorn and John, Architecture in Helsinki. Then I like the odd band that doesn't really fit in with the rest of my musical taste, like Dream Theater, Circa Survive, and Our Lady Peace. Oh, and System of a Down...I was heartbroken when they went on hiatus. What are some of your favorites? By the way, thanks for the link, I really enjoyed reading your poetry. there was one, I think it was called New Name, that I liked a lot. You're very talented!

If you could send me your pretyped intro that would be great. Thanks.

If money and time weren't constraints, I would go everywhere. But the places I most want to visit are New Zealand (it's actually a running joke with my friends that I'm slightly obsessed with NZ), Israel/Palestine, Norway, Germany, basically all of Europe. I'm also spending this coming semester in South Africa, which will be my first time out of the U.S. What are some places you're interested in visiting? do you ever feel like once you start seeing the world, it will be hard for you to ever settle down in one place? Maybe it's just me, but it seems we have a lot of other things in common so I thought I'd ask.
That's really neat that you're a musician. I don't think I could live without it but I have no talent to speak of. What instrument do you play? I definitely understand what it's like to think you're going one path and then realize it's not right for you after all. When I started college I was 100% sure I was going to become a doctor, but it took only one biology class for me to realize I would never make it through med school. But I'm just glad I figured it out early on. Also have considered writing, but probably in the journalistic/non-fiction vein rather than fiction or poetry. Usually I'm too self-conscious to allow other people to read the more creative things I write, so a career in that probably would not work out...haha

p.s. I love Circa Survive, and Kicking Your Crosses Down is by far my favorite off that album.

Definitely agree with you...I took a research methods class this past semester and discovered that I unequivocally do not like research. I'd much much rather be in a capacity that's directly helping people live better lives. My general psych class freshman year really inspired me to declare it as a major, because I'd never taken class where I was so excited about learning the material. I still don't know what else I would do instead. How about you?
As far as public health, a huge dream of mine is to travel. If I got a MPH, ideally I would be able to work for an international aid/development organization, which would combine seeing the world, my interest in health, and my need to make the world a better place. What I don't know is if this is something I'd want to do for the rest of my life, whereas with counseling I could see myself doing that forever.

It's always fun meeting (potential) psych majors.
As for what I'm hoping to do with it -- either some type of trauma counseling OR the almost completely unrelated field of public health (although unrelated, psychology is a good undergrad major to prepare for the master's). What would you consider going into?

Let your hair have its way, lol!

you're welcome Thanks for the good wishes!

Do it!!! Eat the french toast!!!

Anytime, Andrew. Anytime.

Just know...you've been Secret Santa'd!

Aww thank you.

It's feeling a bit better, pounding a little less.

I've gotten these "shifts" since I was about 17 or so. Some are more strong then others, but it's actually kinda common. Several times a month or so. As such I have deemed them normal and or common, so I don't delve into what they are so much, as what they can tell me through the perspective shifts.

Merry Christmas and thank you for my gift. It was awesome.
You are very talented.

Vinegar... :D

I have been really pre-occupied the last couple of days, so I never did send you more random facts about vinegar! http://www.vinegartips.com/Scripts/pageViewSec.asp?id=12

I work mainly in community nursing. I am a Care Aide like your sister, and occasionally accept the odd shifts at a facility too. I strongly dislike the facility, because of several reasons. Probably the main reason being, that it is so fast paced and rushed, and I hate zooming through my routine and treating a human being like they are an inanimate object. I do the exact same thing is people's homes, and it is much nicer to work one on one with someone.

regarding my poetry, I haven't written anything in a while, but I suspect there is a great deal brewing in the background of my mind. It will likely need to be written sometime, but just not right now... I am a bit disassociated these days due to necessity, if that makes sense at all?

On a lighter note, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas! :)

You could tell to people to march the beat of their own drum.

Oh, it's alright then
What are you passionate about?