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Today I had a mole removed, one of the two on my back that my parents called the On and Off Buttons. Apparently the dermatologist didn't like the look of it because today went SNIP, bye-bye. It's weird to think that I only have one now. I'm afraid to look at the spot where it was, in case it looks gross, but since it is on my back, removing the Band-Aid (isn't technology great? having a piece of yourself CUT OFF and all you need is a Band-Aid) will require someone else (probably Drew) to put a new one on, and if it looks disgusting back there, I don't want to subject him to that. It does hurt, so I'll probably leave it alone for awhile.

Strangely enough, the removal was the least painful part of the visit. They somehow missed the order to run one of the (more important) tests on my blood, so they apologized and said, "Let the fruitless needle-poking commence!" And since it isn't called fruitless needle-poking for nothing--well, in fact it is called that for nothing, since they got nothing out of my veins. They only dug around in there enough to give me some nice sore spots on the inside of my elbow joint. DELIGHTFUL.

Okay, so nix that about leaving it alone, I took a peek just now, and I either have some mole left (shudder) or it's dried blood (double-shudder). I wouldn't want to be a doctor. Bodies are so gross. She was trying to talk to me about social life on Rhodes campus while doing the removal and I was just like, "UGH!!!!!!!!" I saw it in its little specimen jar and I was kind of nauseous, even though it's been attached to me for these 20 years and there's nothing wrong with it (as far as we know).

So I have my appointment on Friday with Rhodes Student Health to get my blood drawn humanely; Carolyn the nurse does it so gracefully and painlessly -- it's really admirable, her technique. She said she learned to draw blood on comatose people that couldn't make a fist -- that's about how I feel these days.

Time to get crack-a-lackin' on the old homework!

P.S. I'm serious about that chair. I am in love with its soft-looking, suede-y, no-arms qualities. If human-chair relationships were legally binding, I might just marry it. Well, maybe not. But seriously. *Covets*

Makes me want a better chair. One where I can pull up my feet and cross them, to relieve some of the pressure on my butt.

Ooh, Aah.

In other words, today is the first day of fall. Gotta love Memphis for being stiflingly hot and muggy. At least we're not having a hurricane. Yet.

My dad dared me to post this baby picture.

And my mom bought me some yoga tapes (along with Yoga Booty Ballet, I think) and sent me an email that said, "If you make it to a higher plane of being, send a postcard." :)

Wowee, I don't really like having my face plastered up that big (and no one really gave me any feedback on getting my hair cut).. So here's what happenin' en la vida de Rebeca. I do not want to do homework. I don't have much to do tonight: rewrite some Art & Stats notes, maybe read about the art pieces and put my study guide for Art in order (I have a test on Monday), but I also know that I have a lot of work coming up later in the week as well, so tonight would be the perfect night to get ahead. Unfortunately, I am SEVERELY lacking in motivation at this point. ALERT THE MEDIA. :\

Yesterday, instead of running (I felt kinda sick and sweaty -- it is 95 degrees here, mid-September), I spent a couple minutes on the elliptical machine and then I lifted TEN THOUSAND POUNDS on the leg press machine. 100 reps times 100 pounds = 10,000 lbs. And then I did a couple of leg curls (the ones that affect the muscles on the back of your calf).. now, that made me sore for the first time in a while. I mean, running makes me sore, only because my knees and ankles are weak and sad. But these leg curls.. I could hardly make it up the stairs to my room. It's great.

I should stop turning on the TV in the morning. Not because I have trouble turning my attention from it and getting to work, but because I see things like Yoga Booty Ballet or Billy's Boot Camp and I think, "I must have that." If someone is trying to think of good Christmas presents (or 'just because' presents), those would be great.

Today I had my first big test of the year. I've had smaller, weekly quizzes in Stats, but this test really matters. I felt like I did very well, at least a 95 if I didn't make any stupid math errors. There were some things that I didn't understand, but they were minor, so I'm thinking the grade won't suffer much. But I'm pleased. I guess that's what happens when you spend 8 hours studying for a test. :)

Just like I do every year. Sometimes I actually get the hair cut off, and come November, regret it, whimpering, "I miss my long hair!!!" But the other day I was playing with my long hair, whomping (yes, whomping) it on top of my head in a faux-short way (that was very hard to sustain without bobby pins or clips). Say what you think, but keep in mind that if I got the haircut, it'd look less spazzy since it'd actually be short.

Six months from today will be my 21st birthday and I'm already planning the event. Yes, I'm allowed to think that far in advance because it's going to be awesome and because I didn't have a very awesome day today. Also awesome (too many awesome's): October 18th, Our Lady Peace concert at the Pageant in St Louis. Woohoo!

My stupid car (don't listen, little Shapiro) got a flat tire: thankfully not a blow-out. I've had enough of those. But I called AAA (I think my parents really get their money's worth from that service -- I've probably used it 5 or 6 times in the last 3 years -- stupid Memphis) and got the spare put on. Then I drove all the way out to Walmart, waited in line, only to be told that they weren't accepting any more tire orders for the night. Sigh.

Two redeeming things for the evening: I heard Shakira's "La Tortura", which I am starting to love.. and on my way home, I saw the guy at a Shell station changing the prices sign from $3.29 to $2.99.

You just KNEW I was going to comment on the price of gas at some point. Everyone's talking about it. That and Hurricane Katrina, about which I really only have two things to say: I wish I could donate blood, and that Rhodes is accepting students displaced from the hurricane. I'm not sure where they're putting them since our housing situation is packed and almost overflowing. At least that's how Res Life paints the picture for us.

I better get started on my homework. I wasted my afternoon and evening, obviously.

Yesterday I ran my first 5K. I feel kind of proud, since I doubt I've ever run so far before in one continuous span of time, but also kind of daunted, because, frankly, other people (except my mom) won't be impressed at all with my time or achievement. But I'll say that after only 5 weeks of training, to run a 5K in any amount of time can be considered impressive. Also, it shouldn't matter what those other people think about how fast or slow I run, since they aren't me. If they had my body, they'd do about the same, since I'm pretty sure my will/determination/motivation isn't the problem here (if there's a problem at all.) As for my time, I'm not extremely pleased with it and almost don't want to admit it, but I guess for future purposes (so that I can look back and remark upon what a tortoise I was) I'll let you all know that I ran 3.12 miles in 42 minutes. Yes, that's only a 13:30 mile, and I ran a 10-minute mile in high school. But in high school, I was in marching band and winterguard.

I'm tempted to press myself. But all the running-themed things I've read strongly advise against it. I'm so sore today that I know it'd be a mistake. But I want to go. I feel like it'd be better, the more I run. But that is surely stupid.

The other day, when I woke up and turned on the TV (it helps my brain start understanding words and not just the unintelligible grunts that I'd normally make for the first half-hour), I saw an infomercial for Billy's Boot Camp, and I started thinking that that tape (I'd prefer it on tape, since my little TV only has a VCR) might be my first exercise tape. My mom has said that I could use any of the exercise tapes that she has (and I don't know if we already own it, but if we do, I'm bringing it back to school), but I was never really interested, but for whatever reason, these workouts look good. Especially those Billy Bands. :)

In other news, I spent SEVEN hours yesterday doing my inordinate amount of Spanish homework. And then I still had Management articles to read, of which I only finished one, and then watched an episode of CSI (I certainly had to let my brain calm down after all that) before I went to sleep. I read the other article this morning and part of the Econ chapter assigned. In short, it's only Tuesday and I don't want to do any more work. And I bet if I did what I wanted to do (alternately watch taped CSI episodes -- oh Tivo, how I miss you -- and work out), my GPA would drop like a stone.

to drop off Olivia's cats, Lily and Koffey: