1. Today was (well, still is...) Sonja's birthday. I threw her a surprise brunch. Boy was she surprised. Success! I love surprising people. Moreso, I love making them happy.

2. Been thinking a whole lot since my censorship post... I've always prided myself in being the kind of person who is unabashed about what I feel, who I am, what I believe. People have long admired me for writing my 'zines and handing them out, "putting myself out there" and not having to apologize for being so plainly human, flaws and all. I'm going through ideas for my next 'zine and I think it will be a big one. Stay tuned...

3. Oh, today is also Zac Hanson's 21st birthday. Yeah, that's the youngest one. Yes, they've all finished puberty. Har har.

4. My laptop is exceedingly slow lately. What should I do?

5. I also think it's time for a new layout. As cute as this one is, it's too summery for the changing seasons, and autumn is such a beautiful inspiration. If only #4 weren't such a deterrent for spending a lot of time on the computer... maybe I'll do some sketches during the week and see what I can come up with.

6. He makes me want to be a better person, a happier person, more inspirational. I'm starting to see the difference between being righteous and self-righteous, having strong beliefs but still being respectful. I have so much to learn, about myself and about him - but I'm looking forward to it all.

7. Did I mention that I love Stephen Kellogg?

8. Missing Haverford. Missing Philadelphia.

9. I want a new coat.

10. I bought a new book on Friday, The Namesake. I'm already about 100 pages in, and it's hitting home in so many ways that I shallowly didn't quite expect when I read the summary on the back. The older I get, the more I'm starting to look at things from my parents' point of view, and seeing the dual pride and anguish they feel in their children. We've turned out okay, yeah, but so much tradition and culture has been lost down the line of generations that I'm underlined with a sense of guilt that I'm so "Americanized." Last night I went to dinner at a Chinese restaurant and I couldn't even read the characters for "steamed pork dumplings." I can say it in Chinese no problem, but I wasn't sure exactly what the characters said... and I was embarrassed and a bit ashamed. Makes me want to write. I need to cut out my distractions and just go for it.

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