vomit worthy

I just submitted my medical school applications. I'm not expecting to get in anywhere. No, seriously, I don't expect to get in. I'm not saying this so people will go ,"Oh Tara, of course you'll get in. " In fact, if you say that to me, I just might throw something and/or hit you.

I really don't think that I'll get in this round.

Don't ask me why but I just have this feeling. I can't explain it.

All I can say is that I pretty much want to vomit 24/7 and I kind of hate myself a little bit right now.

I'm going to go drink...

1.5 Hours South

Another Saturday, another mini roadtrip. Yesterday, Mr. Mc and I decided to go hiking in Letchworth State Park. It's about an hour and a half southeast of Buffalo. As most of you know, I've been bitching about how boring/ugly/awful Buffalo is for the past 2 years. Well, I've now discovered that all you have to do is drive a few miles out of the city and you'll discover gems like this. There were 3 waterfalls that were almost as amazing as Niagara falls but without the flocks of asian tourists and gawdy souvenir stands. I mean, I would've been happy to buy an airbrushed t-shirt that said "Letchworth 4 Life" or something like that BUT it just wasn't there. Bummer. We decided on the gorge trail because my guidebook said it was the best. I have to agree that the views were amazing but it was kind of crowded. We went by this adorable little inn that looked like something out of a movie. It was just so cute. There were tents set up and people were all over the place because there was a wedding going on. I have to say that it was the perfect place for a wedding. I'm sure that if I ever wanted to get married and I was stupid enough to marry a man from Buffalo, this place would be the perfect place to have it.
The amazing thing was that I managed to NOT get a sunburn and I didn't break my ankle/leg/arm/back. I'm usually very graceful. We did get lost but I'm blaming that on Mr. Mc's wonderful map skills.

Salon Allure

I really hate to pluck my eyebrows. I mean really hate it. My solution? I just don't do it. I'll pay $15 once a month to have a professional do them for me. I also have a slight obsession with Aveda salons because 1) they smell really, really good and 2) they're kind of snobby and I love going to places where the people think they're a step above the rest (let's face it, I know I'm better than most people ;) ).
Today I tried a place closer to my new apartment and it was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.
Instead of getting my brows waxed, I got them sugared. yes, I said "sugared." It's like waxing but better. I didn't come out with my forehead looking like someone took a hot iron to it. Carrie (my new favorite person) even put a little concealer on my brows to hide the tiny bit of redness. I might even consider getting my hair cut at this place *gasp*. It was just so wonderful and cute and they offered me tea. I love tea.

As if I needed another reason to love Williamsville...

shoot me in the face

could these applications be any more of a pain? I don't think so....

Today I Was a Methodist...again

Most of you who know me know that I grew up Southern Baptist, fried chicken and all. I pretty much stopped going to the Baptist churches when I graduated high school. There are a few things that they taught that I didn't really think melded well with my viewpoint on Christianity; however, there are some things that I do agree with so I will never really get rid of my Southern Baptist roots. I know that my dad is praying that I "see the light" and go back to the Baptists. Don't hold your breath, dad (Happy Father's Day, by the way). I also went through the phase where I'd go to those non-denominational churches that seem forward-thinking and in touch with society. They play the cool music, the pastors seem in touch with reality and even use slang *gasp*, and the messages are really hard-hitting and good. These churches usually have a minimum of 300 people per service and you all hold hands and bask in your awesomeness. I mean I really liked these churches. I thought that I had finally found a place....and then came the sermons on the role of a Christian woman. Did you know that in order to be a good woman of God, you have to quit working and homeschool your children? Yeah, you don't want your kids to actually have to interact with people who aren't like them. Apparently it isn't important for children to be able to have normal social skills and learn how to hold their own when faced with some else's different opinions. AND...did you know that you aren't a good wife/mother if you work? First step, work outside of the home; second step, become and atheist and carve 666 on your forehead. I'm pretty sure that's how it works. Ok, I'm just being dramatic but I don't know how many times the pastor got up in front of us and would preach about how wonderful it is that so many women in the congregation chose to give up their careers and devote themselves to their husbands and children. I know for a fact that I would be an awful parent if all I did was stay at home with my children. I don't know how many unhappy stay-at-home mom's I've met. All they ask for is to have a normal conversation that doesn't involve discussing diapers, pre-school, play dates, or pediatricians. Have you read the book Little Children. I think that book pretty much sums up a lot of stay-at-home mom's lives. Don't get me wrong, I don't think less of those women who choose to do this but the key word there is "choose." I don't think it's right for a church to make women feel guilty if they have to, or just want to work outside of the home. Alright, I'll stop talking about this now. As you can probably guess I stopped going to those churches and I pretty much stopped going to church altogether. A few weeks ago that little voice in my head started whispering "Tara, you really need to go to church" "Tara, stop being lazy and look for a church" "Tara, remember the Bible? Yeah, read it." I finally listened and started looking for a church. I wanted to try something completely different so I decided to go to a Methodist church. This was my second Sunday of being a Methodist and I've yet to form an opinion. I like it so far. I feel comfortable there and I liked the Pastor's messages. The completely shallow, embarrassing part of me enjoys it because there are attractive men there. Yes, I know that's not a good reason to go to church but it makes the whole experience just a little bit more...enjoyable. The bottom line is that I still love my Jesus and it's time to nurture that realationship.

I kinda want to stab you in the face with a fork because...

• you use "you're" and "your" incorrectly
• you have a faux hawk
• you eat with your mouth open
• you don't look me in the eye
• you use the word "like" after every other word
• you walk when I run

I went for a drive

This might have been the biggest weed/dandelion thing that I've ever seen. You can't really tell from the picture that it was as big as my fist. When the wind is blowing, little pieces these plants flow in through my open patio doors. They're really pretty and they're also the reason that I had to finally invest in a vacuum cleaner.


Friday night I was snooping around the Barnes and Noble near my apartment (it's about a mile from my front door!!!!) and I found a book that was dedicated to "discovering western new york." It has a description of pretty much every city/town/village in WNY with things to do in each of these places. Since I'm going to spend the next year here and I won't have school to distract me, I bought the book and decided to spend my weekends exploring. Yesterday was dedicated to Clarence, Akron, and the small surrounding areas. Around 10am I loaded Wendell into the trusty Rodeo and we set out (well, after a quick stop at Starbucks). First we stopped by the Williamsville Farmer's Market to pick up some lettuce. I got 3 heads of lettuce (they were pretty big) and a bunch of radishes for $4. Ohmygoshthatwas freakingamazing! Have I mentioned how much I love going to Farmer's Markets? I have to say that the market in Williamsville is my favorite so far. There was a larger variety of "stuff," the people were nicer/prettyier, and there was music. Wendell really enjoyed himself too. There were lots of people who were amazed to see a Scotty and of course they just had to pet the cute little dog. However, there was this one guy who told me that I needed to get my dog groomed. Eff him. Wendell looks a little shaggy but he's clean and I'll get him groomed when I feel like it. Of course I ddint' say that, I just smiled my "I hope you die in a painful car crash" smile and moved on.

I have to say that yesterday was one of the most enjoyable days that I've had in a long time. Once I hit Clarence, I almost felt like this big ball of tension just dissolved out of my chest. There were farms and lots of GREEN plants/grass/trees. I miss seeing acres of unmarked land. Ah, I'm feeling a little homesick. I was planning to get to Akron and turn around but once I got there, I just kept going. I think that I ended up in Darien. I'm not sure. I just turned when I felt like it. I'm sure glad I did because I ended up at this amazing greenhouse and I bought 6 plants for $17.50! And these were cool plants, like plants you don't find at Home Depot.
Don't "cigar plant" and "licorice plant" just sound like little bits of amazing-ness? Yeah, I thought so too. I'll probably kill them before the week is over but I don't care. I had fun putting them in pots and making my deck look homey. You can't really get the full view of all the plants that I bought in the picture to the right but doesn't Wendell look adorable as he's about to destroy those plants? Yeah, he's just that precious.
I'm totally in love with my apartment. It's the first place that is totally mine. Yes, I wish I had a money pot so I could decorate it any way that I wanted but I'm ok with how it is...for now. I'm thinking a trip to IKEA is in order. Maybe next weekend? We'll see.

After my plant-o-rama, I decided to head back to the Buff but not before making a stop at Akron Falls Park. Yesterday was perfect for a trip to the park. It was kind of overcast so there weren't a lot of people there. I let Wendell off his leash (shhhh, don't tell) and he had a ball. He was chasing all sorts of things (birds, leaves, water, air, etc.). The little demon ended up in the middle of the creek and I was terrified that he'd get swept away. I could just see myself jumping in after him and ending up with hepatitis or something.

The park was also full of neat little surprises like a bridge full of cool graffiti and really old playground equipment. I'm kind of obsessed old swingsets, you know, the swingsets that are made of metal and would probably give you tetanus if you cut yourself. They are just so much more fun than the plastic crap that they make for kids today. Plus, adults can still swing on the metal ones....yeah, I took a few swings yesterday. They also had the baby swings but they were still metal and scary looking. It's the simple things that make me happy....
The whole time that I was there I only saw 5 people. Yep, a little scary at times but it was worth it. I know that someday I'm going to end up living alone up in the mountains. Doesn't that just sound amazing? I'll have a cute little house with an equally cute little garden. If I ever get into medical school, I think that rural medicine is something that I'll definitely consider. Besides the whole living in a rural area, I have MANY other reasons that I think this is the way to go. I won't bore you with those right now. I could go on for hours...Man, I think that I'm getting nerdier by the minute. Next thing you know, I'll be reading science books for fun and have a copy of Gray's Anatomy as a coffee table book...errrrr

The rest of my adventure wasn't very interesting. I drove back to Buffalo and went to the grocery store. I did find some freakin' huge strawberries but that's about it.




on a different note, I'm almost finished with the book that I've been reading on and off for over a year now. i'll probably dance a little dance of joy when I finally finish it. man, i'm really slipping into a pit of un-coolness. i need to get out more.

ERG!

I've just logged onto my computer and I'm already tired of working on these applications. I'm also trying to not listen to these two bitch-ass women talk about the "art" they're putting into their house. Speaking of "art," the Allentown Art Fest is this weekend. Talk about excited! Where else can you find thousands of people praising mediocre paintings/photographs/jewelry/pottery? NOWHERE! I'm just wondering how many paintings or statues of Buffaloes I'll see there....

I'm definitely taking my camera.

"Untitled"...yeah, I couldn't decide

I couldn't decide what to name this post. I tried to decide between "Wow, that woman at the farmer's market was way too pregnant to be lifting boxes" or "I got lost in YuppieVille" or "Dear emo boy in the apartment across from me, your guitar-playing sucks" or " I broke my bike but the cute bike boy fixed it".
See what I mean? There was just way too much going on this morning for me to pick one title.

Even though it's pretty much taken an act of God to get me out of bed before 7:30am every morning this week, I woke up at 6:30am this morning and could not will myself to go back to sleep. Curse words, lots and lots of curse words. Because I was up this early and it was warm AND sunny (Praise Little Baby Jesus) I decided to go for a bike ride. I think I got about 5 ft into my ride (yeah, i said feet) and the chain slipped off and did some weird thing that involved it slipping up into a place that the chain should never be. Needless to say I couldn't go on my ride and I almost killed myself putting my bike into my car (I really need a bike rack). I contemplated going back upstairs to crawl onto the couch and finish reading The Secret Life of Bees but because I was already motivated to be active, I decided to go for a run instead. Ha, I ended up lost in Suburbia and I almost got ran over by a minivan...twice. I ended up lost because every freakin' street looks the same and I swear that every street had "willow" in the title. Way to be creative Amherst. I did explore a few garage sales along the way but I really wasn't in the market for broken office furniture or children's toys. Once I found a road without "willow" in the title, I was able to make it back home safely. As I was sipping on my orange juice and scarfing down a bowl of Frosted Flakes (they're GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT), I heard my across the courtyard neighbor start playing some awful Dashboard song. Yes, I said Dashboard. You'd think that this guy would've gotten the memo about playing lame emo songs on your guitar was no longer cool after sophomore year in college. I just hope this doesn't become a habit. I might have to throw something.
When I couldn't take anymore of his strained vocals and really bad guitar playing, I took a shower and got out of there. I took Foxy Lady (my lovely bike) to the bike store. Cute bike guy with gorgeous eyes fixed her and didn't charge me a thing. He was a sweetheart. I just might have to bake him cookies.
After my little adventure in Handlebars, I decided to head to Williamsville because I needed my weekly dose of snotty. Just so you know, I absolutely adore Williamsville with its cute little stores, obnoxious number of coffee shops, and high number of snobby women dressed in high Buffalo fashion (we were wearing this stuff 2 years ago down South...and they call Southerners slow, pshhh). As I was driving by South Campus, I noticed that there was a tiny farmer's market and THEY HAD TOMATOES!!! I ended up at this one stand that belonged to this VERY pregnant woman and her husband. She definitely should not have been lifting boxes but her blueberries looked amazing. I can't wait to sprinkle them over my Frosted Flakes (see, I'm obsessed). Now I'm sitting in Spot Coffe (because I haven't been to this one) trying to work on my med school personal statement but really people watching and trying to decide if being productive is really what I want to do today. We'll see.


oh yeah, I'm keeping Gnorman hostage because I have a sick feeling that he's trying to sabotage my new life in Buffalo. He really wanted to go back down South and he wasn't too happy when I accepted this job at Roswell.