Wanted: Nice Template
Mr. Anonymous says the picture above sucks. Even though I like it for some reasons, I have no intention of torturing you all with it. I'm looking for a new template. Nothing too flashy. Nothing too plain. Where do I get me one of those?
at 9:13 PM by negar

Weather & Deep Questions!


Could be better. Could be a lot better. Then again, it could be a lot worse.
Which brings me to one of those never-answered questions of mine: Is it good to be content? Is it good to believe that it always could be worse? at 1:23 PM by negar

Morbid
I can't decide whether I want to be buried or cremated.
I've heard that in order to choose from a variety of options one should imagine herself in all of them and see which one makes her more comfortable and happy. Being buried is nice because you get to have a gravestone and everything but I really don't like the idea of rotting! On the other hand cremating is classy and clean but then what happens to the ashes? Keeping a vase full of someone's ashes in the house is creepy and having the ashes scattered around is like that person never existed.
Do they still mummify? at 11:33 AM by negar

Ramblings...
It's only 4:31 PM but it's so dark that I keep thinking it's midnight. The computer lab is fairly empty and quiet. I'm on campus for my 5:30 class for which I've written a paper comparing the book Charlotte's Web and the movie Charlotte's Web. Not fun at all. I'm not fond of children literature. I never was. The bad news is that next week I'll be reading and watching Wizard of Oz. All my life I have done my best to avoid this movie and there it shows up: on the syllabus for my film & lit course. Life's got a bad sense of humor.
Speaking of books, I just bought Film Adaptation, The New Media Monopoly, Understanding Media Economics, Conglomerates and the Media, and The Godfather online. And I yet have to buy Introduction to the Practice of Statistics (how boring!), Wizard of Oz (urgh!), Virgin Suicides (what are those?), Tess of the D'Urbervilles (what a name!), and Fight Club (Yay!). You don't happen to have an extra copy of any of these, do you?!
Oh and did I mention I got two of my favorite books for my birthday? Daddy-Long-Legs and Dear Enemy in one edition and also Reading Lolita in Tehran. I read Dear Enemy after so many years and for the the first time in English. I loved it. Unfortuantely I haven't had a chance to start with Reading Lolita in Tehran. Which reminds me I once wrote a post about the movie Lolita. What did I do with that post?
I meant to write something aboud pigs and spiders but right now I have bigger worries:
How do I avoid starving to death?
How do I get myself to my car after the class? The buses stop running on regular routes at 6 so I'll have to walk :( Poor Negar! at 4:31 PM by negar

That's a shame!
Why didn't any of us think of this?
at 1:13 PM by negar

Readings for the Soul: Charlotte's Web
Wilbur is the pig.
Charlotte is the spider.
Templeton is the rat.
Fern is the girl.
And then there is the goose and the old sheep.
Wouldn't you expect more from a 400-level English course?
at 10:50 PM by negar

Secret Admirer
at 5:56 PM by negar

When all you wish for is a pen...
I really don't want to return to my film & literature class and I've been to that class only once. Not that I don't like the class. I do. I think it's a great course. It's just that I've done something quite embarrassing and I don't want to face the professor ever again!
Yesterday was the first day of class. The professor walked in and started going over the syllabus (don't you hate it when they do that? As if you couldn't read!). It took him about one hour to read, interpret, and re-read every single line in the syllabus. Fortunately he's one of those funny ones so it wasn't as boring as it sounds. A few minutes to the end of the class he told us to take out a piece of paper and write a one page essay about a quotation which he dictated to us like a third grade teacher. The quotation had big words so it took me a while to figure out what it really meant. As I was thinking everyone else wrote their essays and left. Nervously I started writing. I blabbered about I don't know what for a few lines and then realized my pen was running out of ink. I dropped it, took out another one from my backpack and continued writing. I wrote for a few more lines and then noticed that the black ink was getting pale. I looked for another pen in my backpack, pockets, and hair (I sometimes do leave a pen in my pony tail and forget about it for a few hours) but I had none. I found a pencil which was broken. I panicked. I looked around for help and saw the last person exit the classroom. I looked at the professor and then at my watch. What I had written was nothing like a college student writing and it was far short from one page. I considered asking the professor for a pen but I was too shy to do so. So this is what I wrote with the last drops of ink in my pen: My pen is running out of ink. I'm sorry. I'll make it up later!
Now how do you suppose I can go back to that class?
at 10:59 PM by negar

Last night I died. Twice. In two different car wrecks. For the sake of the same person.
Some people should be banned from my dreams.
A while ago I saw on the news that somewhere in East Asia they had invented a machine or something that you can use to define what you want to dream of. I seriously need one of those. Or some sort of therapy. Anything that could stop the nightmares.
Meanwhile, I'm not getting either of them so I might want to stop sleeping. Who says erasing the problem is not a solution?!
at 3:55 PM by negar

My Harem
- I need a slave.
- Everyone needs a slave.
- True.
- I want a harem.
- Who doesn't?
- True.
- You're allowed to have one though, I'm not.
- You should have one anyways. Don't let the society keep you down.
- Hmmm!
Another time. Another place. Another person.
- Hey!
- Hey, what's up?
- Would you like to join my harem?
- *&!#*$#&%&$*#$%@!!!

Perhaps I should let the society keep me down!
at 3:36 AM by negar

Sunny Skies, Mild Weather, No Mood Swings
Last night I had the biggest birthday party of my life and it wasn't even my birthday.
I was actually going for a small party but somehow the number of the guests quadrupled. The more the merrier, I thought. And I was right especially since it was a birthday party and more people meant more gifts!!! I got lots and lots of gifts which explains why I'm not having my usual after party anti climax!
In other news, my uncle called yesterday and told my sister he has stumbled about my blog and he reads it! First I thought it was a bit weird but then I figured it was actually nice to have visitors from outside of our "blog province." Besides, I should really expect this kind of surprises. I don't know why but this is the first page Yahoo's search engine pulls up when you search for Negar.
Today I'm going to Houston to watch Mehrjooei's Mehmane Maman (Mom's Guests?) and also have some Chelo Kabab. It's my week after all, I ought to do fun stuff till my birthday! As a part of this plan, I'm returning to school on Tuesday! Being the big procrastinator that I am, you should expect to hear more from me when the school starts.
Enough blogging for today, I must eat my breakfast (check out the time stamp!) and get ready for the trip to Houston.
at 2:02 PM by negar

Fight Insomnia
Insomnia is a bad thing, unless you have better things to do instead of sleeping. Tonight for instance, insomnia is definitely a bad thing. I really wanted to sleep early but it's 3:something AM and I'm still wide awake. I got online and searched for ways to fight insomnia and I came across this page. It lists 30 tips to put yourself into sleep. Let's see!
1. See a Doctor
See a doctor? Not being able to sleep is not a good enough reason to see a doctor. The last time I saw a doctor was last year when my whole upper respiratory system was infected for weeks!
2. Take a Warm Bath
I already did that. It's not my fault that at the end the water turned ice cold and had reverse effect.
3. Get a Massage
Now? Where do I find a masseur in the middle of the night?
4. Listen to Music
OK. I guess I can do that.
5. Drink Warm Milk
ewww! I hate warm milk. I'd rather stay up all night.
6. Drink Herb Tea
Is this our own "jooshoondeh"? No, thank you.
7. Eat a Bedtime Snack
Done that. If I have any breakouts for eating cashews so late at night I'll sue these guys!
8. Avoid Caffein, Alcohol and Tobocco
I do that all the time. Maybe that's the problem. My lifestyle is too healthy and dull!
9. Sleep in a Well-Ventilated Room
How about sleeping outside? Have mercy! I'll freeze in 60-65 degrees!
10. Sleep on a Good Firm Bed
Yeah, IKEA rocks! (not really)
11. Sleep on Your Back
Sorry, but I can't do that. I HAVE to sleep on my right side or I'll choke.
12. Get Some Physical Exercise During the Day
You tell me now? Wait a minute! Does knitting count as a physical exercise? It should.
13. Keep Regular Bedtime Hours
I do. I always go to bed at 2, give or take (mostly give) a couple of hours.
14. If You Can't Sleep, Get Up
That's what I'm doing. But shouldn't I go back to bed eventually?
15. Don't Sleep In
That's nonsense. What are weekends and holidays for if you're not going to sleep in?
16. Get Up Earlier in the Morning
I know. I know. My new year resolution is not to sleep past noon.
17. Keep Your Bed a Place for Sleep
Huh? Where do I study, do homework, read and write then? At a desk?
18. Avoid Naps
Unless you've got nothing else to do, right?
19. Avoid Illuminated Bedroom Clocks
They still make those?
20. Counting Sheep
Don't even try to talk me into that one. The other night I counted 1700 sheep and I ended up not sleeping.
21. Sleep with Your Head Facing North
"Sounds like a pretty bizarre theory?" Hell yeah!
22. Don't Watch TV or Read Before Going to Bed
So what do I do?
23. Toe Wiggling
I tried this one once and I fell asleep. I don't know if it was a cause and effect thing. It could have been a coincidence.
24. Stomach Rub
Hey, I don't want to mess with all my internal organs just because I can't sleep!
25. Progressive Relaxation
Are you saying that I'm tense? Are you? 'Cause you know, I'm not tense. Not at all. I'm not tense at all.
26. Deep Breathing
"Slowly begin to inhale, first filling your lower belly, then your stomach area, and then your chest and the top of your lungs almost up to your shoulders." WHAT? How in the world do I get the air to go to my lower belly and not to my lungs? I need a new respiratory system to do that.
27. Visualize Something Peaceful
"All alone in a cave in the Himalayas"? Okay, let's see... Am I "fresh" or frozen?
28. Visualize Something Boring
Location: Texas!
29. Imagine It's Time to Get Up
That, I can't do. It's too big of a lie to tell to one's self.
30. Quiet Ears
Uh-huh!

31. Write a long boring post to put yourself into sleep.
This one is courtesy of Negar!
Time of going back to bed: 5:08 AM
at 3:10 AM by negar

I know it's tough!
If you thought Asad's birdy was hard to spot, try finding mine. You should squint really hard or else you'll miss it!

at 1:16 AM by negar

Get a Life!
For that one person who came across my blog by searching for "porn by negar":
I don't make porn.
at 11:44 PM by negar

Reporting to Duty
- First of all, many many thanks for your support. I never meant to leave for good. I just needed some time to get myself back to normal. And let me tell you, it wasn't easy. The worst of punishments is one enforced by the self. Anyways, I'm back.
- It's a quiet Monday today. I've been watching the news and knitting a hat. Yeah, you heard me right. I knit! I'm not really good at it but it's a good hobby for those of us who spend too much time watching TV. At least I can make some use of myself during the commercial breaks.
- On CNN I watched a guy being rescued in southern California flood. It was pretty impressing how the rescue team pulled him out of water from the overlooking bridge. According to Wolf Blitzer the guy lost his pants during the process. I think he mentioned that so no one wonders why the guy was driving his BMW, wearing only a shirt. But I did wonder what happend to the guy's boxers. Did he lose them with his pants or was he not wearing a pair today?! Imagine how he reacts when he learns about his overexposure!
- Don't be jealous, but the weather is awesome here. Partly cloudy. 78 degrees F. This is why I don't mind living in a red state!
- Ok I think I wrote enough to make up for a week-long leave. Now I'm going to go back to trying to come up with a plan for my birthday. at 3:00 PM by negar

Someday, somehow I´m gonna make it alright, but not right now... at 2:35 PM by negar