Oh, yeah...

A couple things...
First: I'm back. Sorry the like, HYUGE delay. I actually wrote a really awesome closure blog for returning home... but I don't have the heart to put it up. I always end up in tears. I'll put it up one of these days... but, seriously, the exchange is NEVER over... even when you return... you're always exploring your own culture even more than you thought was imaginable before you left.
:)

Thailand has, does, and will forever affect my everyday life, how I think, how I act, etc. Even when I speak. When I came back, I even was talking to my scholarship interviewer in Thai by accident, and I keep wai-ing [Thai courtesy greet/thank you motion] to everyone. It's built into my system. I can't help it! Ahhh!

I finally checked my lottery ticket tonight.... for January 20th's Mega Millions. I lost. Guess it doesn't really matter, though, does it?
...I think not. :P

I think I'll go back and say that upon return, within a couple months, I was back out of the house, basically living on my own again. I shared an apartment with my cousin... but it didn't work out so well, so now I'm back at home. I think it's better to live at home anyway, even if it is a 15 or 20 minute drive to then from nearly every day; no rent, just gas; I get to see my kitty, Sugar - I love her; I get to see my parents - but I think it's more like my parents get to see ME [ Lol ]; my mother occasionally cooks some RAD meals, as well my dad - and I get to eat them, too!; back to my queen sized bed. :D

Now about the queen bed... while I was at the apartment, I had a twin bed, for room size reasons; well... I didn't know at the time, but my parents bought two then. They kept one, gave me one. Well, now I'm back home. Where's the twin bed going to go? My sister's [old] room already has one!
Solution: stack the two twin sized box springs and matresses!
Yeah........no.
No one would be able to sleep in there, then!
Other solution:
Let's rip Moni's room apart to get to her queen sized bed, take everything off it, and do the same to Vanessa's twin bed; take apart all the bedframes and headboards; put the headboards into auction because they're super ancient and partly broken anyway; move the queen bed to my sister's room, move the twin to mine. Add the other twin bed... add a king-sized bedframe... Badda bing, badda boom:
MONI HAS A KING-SIZED BED!
That Sugar is now grateful for.
...and me, of course.
My giant 4 foot stuffed horse takes up a good chunk of it, but there's still of lot of roll-around-room left. :D

Another update: This is my second semester of student-ing at Carl Sandburg Collge. Ja, it's awesome! I have the coolest teachers evuhr.
...and I made lots of awesome pots in ceramics class. :D
I has a job.
I work dietary at Rosewood Care Center. I do lots of things in that job. - including wearing this AWESOME hat they prefer to call a "hairnet" - it's rad - and they're really useful for summer time - keeps all the hair out of your face and off your neck! :P

Talent show is on Tuesday.
I'm one of like, 5 people in it @ a chance for $100!!! Oh my gosh. =D
Wish me luck! [ I'm dancing... don't laugh!!! :P ]

Weeeelllll, thought I'd update. Now I have.
Oh yeah - and I'm in an auto body class, too, but mostly just for fun, since it doesn't even count as an elective course... :(
...and we're going on a field trip tomorrow! Er... later today, rather!!!! :D

Bye!

Moni

P.S. - forgot to mention: I got a Juror's choice award in the Carl Sandburg College Student Art Show!!! :D
...along with the accommodating $50 Dick Blick dollars! I can't wait to use them at our awesome DICK BLICK OUTLET!!! Heck yeah! Be jealous of our superb locations of outlet stores! :D