Oct 30, 2007

This Is MY Interpretation

So, yesterday was a great day for me. Sou's obsession with Mika got me listening to him. I love the guy! His music puts me in this strange high happy mood. I don't know how to describe it. Everyone was getting the kicks out of me walking around with crazy hair and a big smile on my face. And since I'm still in that mood. I decided to post about it. Actually, I don't know what I'm posting about. I'm just posting.



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Haj and I had a fun conversation yesterday. I miss you, darling;* Here's some of it:




HAJ - says:
u felt bad so u came back?
Aїсна says:
nesait
lol yeah im gna send nw
HAJ - says:
LOL
ur too cute
ok tyt :*
Aїсна says:
the insanely happy thing is doing shit 2my memory
HAJ - says:
LOOOOOL
im gona quote that in facebook LOOL

Aїсна says:
LOL
put my name
Don's steal

HAJ - says:
im going to lol
Aїсна says:
Don't*
hehe enzain




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And..

I had a good laugh in one of my prof's lectures. Lol, her badleyat (slips of the tongue) are just.. funny? I'm not being harsh, but I'd rather laugh than complain.

Here are some of the ones we had to sit through yesterday:

inferor = inferior

leshtmit = legitimate

trumph = triumph

psyhco-nafseyan = psychologically

a lot children = a lot of children



Since I correct everyone's grammar/spelling errors and hate being corrected myself, I usually suffer in her class. This time is different because I was in a interesting new mood;p


I {HEART} LIFE;*

Oct 27, 2007

Swair's Tag: 5 (+1) Things I'm Enjoying (With Pics)!

Here it goes:

A pile of unread books :)


New pajamas *sigh*


My "reading chair" is where I'm spending most of my "relaxation" time.


The new electrical kettle thingy in the kitchen.


The temptation to listen to Sou's gift: A Jack Savoretti CD which I refuse to listen to unless I'm alone in the car, and it has to be in the morning. [I listened to it this morning and I love "Dreamers".]

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I'm enjoying reading the expectations for the new ministers (Yes, this is a political cue. Bite me!).

Oct 25, 2007

لساني صارم لا عيب فيه وبحري لا تكدره الدلاء

هو ود هاف ثوت آي ود هاف أن أربك تايتل؟
But, I really liked this line from a poem we took in class. No reason not to have it as a title since soemtimes my titles aren't related to my post. Most of them are lyrics from whichever song I'm listening to while typing in the title bar;p




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These are fun! Thanks, Chika;*



Your Aura is Blue





Spiritual and calm, you tend to live a quiet but enriching life.
You are very giving of yourself. And it's hard for you to let go of relationships.

The purpose of your life: showing love to other people

Famous blues include: Angelina Jolie, the Dali Lama, Oprah

Careers for you to try: Psychic, Peace Corps Volunteer, Counselor


Me? A psychic? A counselor? Ha! I don't think so!



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While discussing the situation in the country with the Buhras, A shared some of the... How do I put it? Ridiculous theories? Disrespectful opinions? I don't know. Here's a funny theory:
America sent the Buhras to distort Islam.
Here's a question:
How would they, the people who come up with such ideas, feel if their religion was unaccepted, disrespected, and discussed like a disease in the country they work in?
After all, we are the reason they are here.. We let them in!
[UPDATE]: My argument is, why do we get upset when our religions are disrespected elsewhere, but feel fine when it's not happening to us?
A fellow blogger's post on the same topic:
Click here.

.:MY LIBRARY:.

Someone suggested that I post my library and allow people to discuss choice of books, make suggestions as to what to read, etc. So, this post is open to comments whenever. The list of books will be updated regulary.



"People say life is the thing, but I prefer reading."

Logan Pearsall Smith

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1984, George Orwell
A Series of Unfortunate Events, Lemony Snickett
A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams
A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini
At Home in the World, Daniel Pearl
Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
Angels & Demons, Dan Brown
By The River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept, Paulo Coelho
Cry, the Beloved Country, Alan Paton
Fairy Tales, Hans Christian Anderson
Falling Leaves, Adeline Yeng Mah
Fishbowl, Sarah Mylnowski
For One More Day, Mitch Albom
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
Girls of Riyadh, Raja AlSane
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou
I'm Fifteen - and I Don't Want to Die, Christine Arnothy
Invitation to a Beheading, Vladimir Nabokov
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë
Like a Flowing River, Paulo Coelho
Living To Tell The Tale, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov
Man and Boy, Tony Parsons
Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert
Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides
Monday Mourning, Kathy Reichs
My Name is Red, Orhan Pamuk
No Angel, Penny Vincenzi
One For My Baby, Tony Parsons
One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
One True Thing, Anna Quindlen
Papillion/Banco, Henri Charrière
Persepolis 2, Marjane Satrapi
Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw
Reading Lolita in Tehran, Azar Nafisi
Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen
Sheer Abandon, Penny Vincenzi
Somewhere, Home, Nada Awar Jarrar
Sophie's World, Jostein Gaarder
Tales of Mystery and Imagination, Edgar Allen Poe
The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
The Book Theif, Markus Zusak
The Confession, Olen Steinhauer
The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown
The Devil and Miss Prym, Paulo Coelho
The End of Alice, A.M. Homes
The Female of The Species, Joyce Carol Oates
The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom
The Giver, Lois Lowry
The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck
The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini
The Rule of Four, Ian Caldwell & Dustin Thomason
The Secret Supper, Javier Sierra
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Ann Brashares
The Swiss Family Robinson, J.D. Wyss
The Virgin Suicides, Jeffrey Eugenides
The Witch of Portobello, Paulo Coelho
To Kill a Mocking Bird, Harper Lee
Under Western Eyes, Joseph Conrad
Veronika Decides to Die, Paulo Coelho
White Oleander, Jane Fitch

Oct 24, 2007

Introducing...

MUFFYCAKE

This, readers, is the ultimate homemade dessert experience. I haven't tried everything on the menu, but I shall review on the ones I have. Happy getting-high-on-sugar!





P.S. How hot is the menu? I designed it;)

Oct 21, 2007

Don't you step on my Blue suede shoes!

I have class at the Arabic for foreigners language center at KU with a high school friend. Classes with high school friends get memories started. Anyways, so we sit next to each other, and sitting next to her is this girl. She asks the most stupid questions. First, I was trying to be nice about it because I wasn't really paying attention in the first place. But then, horror strikes, and I start getting pissed. Every single time she asks a question of such stupidity, I share a knowing look with F (my high school friend). This example is provided by F:


Dr: "La limti7an bas as2ila mako 7ifith"
Girl: "Ya3ni dr. mako 7ifith 7ag limti7an?"
*beats violently with chair*



You get the idea. Now, F is referring to those questions as "wise." Lol, just a few more months, F. Hang in there;p


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I always thought professors set tests based on the textbook we use for the course and what they say in class. I never imagined enetering a test where most of the questions asked were beyond my (and at least five other people's) knowledge. Hmm.. What do you think, ya 3youni?


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I'm reading this now.



So far (Chapter 5), each chapter is a first person narrative by a different character. The story is about the mystery behind a murder. It goes back and forth. The language is very direct. I think I'm going to like it.
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In defense of literature, again!
People wonder why people read. For me, reading literature is an escape from reality. It allows me to go into another world far away from my own very limited life. In books, I find worlds and people I will never experience being in/with. Literature widens my perspective and helps me create for myself a more broad sense of what is "out there." I feel like it has made me a better person, and it will continue to do that for me. I find that I expect the unexpected more. I end with September's Quote of the Month:
"We must for dear life make our own counterrealities."
-Henry James

I'm Not Going To Say "Never Again"!

I couldn't comment or post anything the last few days due to personal issues and ultimate messed upness of the laptop.

I absolutely detest people who butt into very personal issues. I shall not discuss religion with half-strangers. I shall not discuss marriage with anyone but my mom, HAJS, and those who passed the abstract test (you know who you are). I'm pretty open to people's thoughts and ideas, unless it's about a personal aspect of MY life. I shall live the way I want to. I will NOT tolerate "why" questions from anyone. The answer will always be a "kaify" answer. I love my life. I don't want it to change. I wish those who have enough noses to go through everyone's business would read this and get the message.

I'm disappointed.


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Because I had a break from the laptop, and because I've been going through what I've been going through, I've been indulging in books. I finished Middlesex last night. I actually cried over Cal's misfortunes. That's one big heartbreak.

Has anyone read My Name is Red?

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Note to HAJS: You guys know I discuss anything and everything with you.

Oct 18, 2007

36 Randomites + A Revelation

I got this from N.'s blog.

1. What side of the heart do you draw first?
Right


2. Can you dive without plugging your nose?
Yes


3. What color is your razor?
No razors.


4. What is your blood-type?
O+


5. Who would you want to be tied to for 24 hours?
Either Paulo Coelho or Al Pacino

6. What is a rumor someone has spread about you?
I don't remember.

7. How do you feel about carrots?
*wrinkles nose*


8. How many chairs at the dining room table?
Eight


9. Which is the best spice girl?
Posh? Why does this matter?

10. Do you know what time it is?
23:44


11. Do you know all the words to the Fresh Prince song?
Yes;p

12. What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator?
Laugh real hard

13. Whats your favorite kind of gum?
I don't eat gum.


14. T or F: All’s fair in love and war.
F


15. Do you have a crush on anyone?

I choose not to answer because I do not want to elaborate.


16. Do you know how to use some words correctly, but not know the meaning?
Yes

17. Do you like to sleep?
I love to sleep.


18. Do you know which US states don’t use Daylight Savings?
I don't care.


19. Do you know the song Total Eclipse of the Heart?
No


20. Do you want a bright yellow 06 mustang?
No


21. What’s something you’ve always wanted?
A library in the place I live in


22. Do you have hairy legs?
No and thank God for that!


23. Would you rather swim in the ocean or a lake?
Ocean


24. Do you wear a lot of black?
No


25. Describe your hair.
It's not brushed.

26. Do you have Entomophobia?
Yes;\


27. Are you an adult?
No


28. Where are your best friends?
Umm.. One is definitely home. Two is either home or at her grandmother's house. Three is in the country for now.


29. Do you have a tan?
No


30. Are you a television addict?
No, I go days and days without watching tv.


31. Do you enjoy spending time with your mother?
Yes.

32. Are you a sugar freak?
No


33. Do you like orange juice?
Yes


34. What sign are you?
Aquarius: the sign closest to poshlustiness:)


35. What color is your Cell Phone?
Black and silver

36. Where do you wish you were right now?
Eden

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Chika's got me thinking.. But..
You Inner Gender is Female
You're sensitive, caring, and willing to connect with anyone who's open to you.
You make friends easily, and you enjoy all sorts of conversations.
You understand most people you meet - better than they understand themselves.
You're totally a woman... or at the very least, your soul is female.

Oct 14, 2007

Well, I'm sitting alone thinking about it all over coffee.

I think I have a light case of OCD. Whenever I listen to "Numb" by Linkin Park, I have to listen to "Breakdown" by Chris Daughtry right after it. Weird?


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J got a kitten. She won't give us the satisfaction of knowing whether or not that kitten is male/female. Or both (I'm reading Middlesex). Here are the pictures:








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If you are hungry, do not watch this movie.






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I've been told I look like Kristen Bell. Especially in this specific picture. I'll add her to my "I Don't Look Like Her" list:)


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I miss morning coffee.

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Time for a little bit of Randomania (as if this whole post wasn't random enough).

In defense of literature: It's not easy, it's demanding. It's not shallow, it's deeper than the ocean. It's not boring, it's creative. It's not just literature, it's the world in words.

I should brush my hair.

I wonder if I will be able to drive from Shuwaikh to home on Thursday. (For those of you who don't know, I have NO sense of direction. How bad is it? It took me eight days to know the way from home to college, which is around fifteen minutes away driving on the right lane.)

Someone owes me a CD of strange music.

I love my life. I love Poshlust. I love my mom. I love smiling.

:)

Oct 13, 2007

Blog Action Day: Mother Nature is Calling...

Before I get serious, I need to make a few shoutouts.

J: Check!
F: Happy Birthday Darling;*
S: Welcome Back;*
H: Come Back!

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Today is Blog Action Day. I wish I had the time to do a little bit of research, but I don't. So, I'll just do the usual complaining.


Why?! (Have you noticed how I always start with frustration?) Really, why?! Why do people litter? Have they no shame?



Back in school, most of us used to clean up after ourselves. We picked up are trash and threw it in the bin. Sometimes, we even pulled the trash can all the way to our table and took our time eating and throwing rubbish. Now, in college, I see 16yrs+ girls/guys throwing wrappers, papers, etc. on the ground. There's a trash can in every corner! Shameful! I remember asking at least 10 people to pick up what they have thrown and put it in the garbage, or I'll do something embarrassing. It works. But why didn't they throw it in the bin the first time?!

Why?! Why do people roll down their car windows and throw their crap out in the street while their car is moving along the road?! Grrr! They should be ashamed! Especially parents/grown ups who do so in front of kids.



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There's a lot one can do. Visit The Action Blog for tips. Or take it a step further and click here.






Oct 11, 2007

[L.A.B]

A painting by Van Gogh inspired this post. If you are unable to make the connection, the painting is to the left of the text you are reading right now.

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People, I beseech you..


Finish this sentence:



Life is ...




Cheers, K.Payne.

Oct 9, 2007

A Happy, Under Pressure Post

This is an image of Poshlust in Eden. That is, if Poshlust was a person to begin with:)

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I came to terms with myself last night.

A couple of days ago, a friend e-mailed me an article on a religious topic on how some people feel the need to impose their faith on others. Right. I read it. It upset me. I use the word "upset" in the sense of disappointed me, not crying or sad upset. Why?! Yes, I'm frustrated! Why do people have this urge to impose their thoughts, values, beliefs, etc. on others?! We are individual people. Living in the same society does not mean we have to have the same set of morals. Morality, to me anyway, is something a person creates for themselves depending on their judgement. I let off most of the steam when I replied to my friend.

After that I went to a high school class reunion. *Smiles in happy memory*. As we socialized, I realized that there are good people in my life. I do not know many who are willing to force people into a certain path. My high school class is made up of people who I think will make this country a better place.

After that eventful reading, thinking, typing, and socializing session, I decided that I am satisfied. I am content with the faith I have made for myself. I am happy with who I am and how I think. My morals are moral to me. I can decide for myself what is right and what is wrong for me without the help of others. My spirituality is my own business. And, finally but most importantly, I will not impose my world on others.

You are free to point all the fingers in accusation and conviction... But you have to live with the idea that I simply do not care. There! *makes a fist of victory*

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On Saturday, HAJS (-S) had a BBQ gathering. H got a new studio constructed for her architecture work. The room is amazing! Mashallah + allah yhaneech feha before we take over;*! We had the bbq in the balcony of that room, which looks over the street (very romantic, eh?). J had fun walking all over the roof. I had fun just being with them because they are my bestest friends. Between a movie, a book, and chatterboxing, they made the tiny things special. For those of you who remember the pizza recipe I'm obsessed with, HAJS along with M and F( H's sisters) got to try it. J, I never asked, how did you like the coffee version of the dessert ;)?



P.S. Sorry I had to leave early;*

Oct 5, 2007

102 Things About Amethyst

This post is inspired by The Don

1. I can walk and brush my teeth simultaneously.
2. I love my life and wouldn't change a thing if I could.
3. I'm named after my grandmother, whom I've never met.
4. I'm a good listener.
5. I recently found out that I'm not indifferent towards stalkers.. They freak me out!
6. I don't believe in love at first sight.
7. I always forget where I parked the car.
8. I'm trying to stop swearing.
9. I don't think talking about religion is fruitful.
10. I feel like reading has made me a better person.
11. I have a heart although it's not so obvious.
12. Vincent van Gogh's work clears my head.
13. This number always triggers a train of thought in my mind starting with why some people believe it's unlucky.
14. I would head over to Australia any day.
15. I work well under stress.
16. It shows on my facial expressions when I'm faking it, and that's why I decided I shouldn't waste energy trying to be nice when I don't feel like it.
17. Paulo Coelho's work makes me experience lots of things all at once.
18. My copy of Maruqez's One Hundred Years of Solitude was borrowed in 11th grade and is now in Dubai.
19. I waited two months to get the book mentioned in 18.
20. I do my best not to be judgmental.
21. I like talking to strangers who I probably won't see again.
22. I wanted this to be my second post.
23. I found out Stella means star because of Stella McCartney. Surprise.
24. The first blog I ever read is Kila Ma6goog's 6akh 6ekh (The Princess).
25. I pity people who can hate.
26. A nerd, in my point of view, is someone who likes to study. That makes me not a nerd.
27. I hardly watch TV.
28. I hate having nothing to do although I complain about being busy.
29. I stopped reading/watching the news.
30. I'm the only girl (not in the world, in my family. I have two (not three, just two) brothers. Point explained;p
31. I can forgive, but I can't forget.
32. Reading allows me to escape reality.
33. Al Pacino became my favorite, most amazing actor after I watched The Devil's Advocate (which is one of my favorite movies).
34. I have a Primary & Secondary Care (CPR/First Aid/AED) certificate.
35. On my Primary & Secondary Care card, it says that my birthday is Jan 2nd.
36. I'm not obsessed with music. I listen to what I feel like listening to whenever I feel like it.
37. I live my life normally while fasting, and I wish everyone did just that.
38. I love the beach.
39. Being late makes me mad at myself for being careless, no matter what the reason.
40. I correct spelling and grammar mistakes in take away menus.
41. My feet eat at the shoes I'm wearing. They never last long.
42. Funerals change me in a strange way.
43. I'm not scared of death.
44. Butterflies are my favorite species to look at. Humans included.
45. I have a box full of memories that I open and go through when I need a reality check.
46. I love learning new words.
47. My favorite word at the moment is chiasmus. Thanks to Dr. B!
48. I have a coffee addiction which is causing me to look like I'm pissed in the morning because I'm fasting. I have to drive without my morning dose of caffeine as well. Horror.
49. I'm a perfectionist.
50. I have no problem with naked human beings unless they are engaged in stuff that should be kept private.
51. I get tiny red spots around my eyes (especially on my eyelids) after I cry of hurt/wrath. I can't believe I'm halfway through this.
52. While editing something, sentence fragments make me crazy.
53. Fragonard's paintings make me laugh.
54. I get worried easily.
55. I have an incurable food obsession because our house provides unlimited amounts of good food at all times.
56. Someone actually proposed to me once.
57. I believe that change can happen overnight if not in a few seconds.
58. I don't always agree with second chances.
59. Each individual in my family has a different way of thinking.
60. My parents and brothers don't read. My mom read a few books in her life. I feel like they are missing out on a lot.
61. I'm satisfied (if not more) with my appearance.
62. I don't drive well wearing a skirt.
63. I enjoy driving to class in the early morning. Another reason I love having class at 8am.
64. A year at KU has taught me more than the four years I've spent in high school.
65. I sing in the shower.
66. I don't like giving my phone number to people I don't know well.
67. One of my favorite days is "The Na7sha" day back in high school.
68. I was the editor of the school newspaper back in the day.
69. The only thing that involves numbers which I enjoy is Sudoku.
70. I've been told I look like Jennifer Garner. That does not have an ounce of truth in it.
71. I don't look like Natalie Portman either.
72. Right now, I'm singing Chris Daughtry's "Breakdown."
73. I don't like snow.
74. HAJS are one of the biggest blessings in my life.
75. George Bernard Shaw and Colin Farrell are two Irish men I admire for two different reasons.
76. My mood is always reflected by what I wear.
77. I have an extremely ticklish waist.
78. Lots of people mistake my blank expression for a pissed off one.
79. I never want to tweeze my eyebrows.
80. I love sticking to basic clothes. Jeans and white shirt. Jeans and black shirt. Etc.
81. Poshlust is my newfound love.
82. My uncle is my muse.
83. I know the words to "I Woke Up In Love This Morning" and "I Think I Love You" by The Partridge Family.
84. I went to school in Australia for three and a half months.
85. Gaucho Grill is heaven on earth for me.
86. I'm opinionated. I shock myself when I'm wrong.
87. I come up with my best ideas in the shower or in bed before I sleep.
88. Dancing liberates me.
89. Showers make me feel better no matter how I feel before them.
90. I had a strange childhood.
91. I still watch Tom & Jerry and laugh.
92. Kramer in Seinfeld is someone I would like to have in my life. I like his hair.
93. The first nekta (joke) I've ever heard in my life is: 2 ger3an yet`haweshoun 3ala meshe6 (2 baldies fighting over a comb). I found it funny at the time.
94. Marriage is a mystery to me.
95. I have a "reading" chair. It's green. It also comes with a matching footrest.
96. Two is my favorite number. It comes up a lot in my life.
97. I always wonder why Satan is also referred to as Lucifer, but I never found out.
98. My interest in other religions started in 1999. I met the first atheist to enter my life that summer.
99. My name is always spelled wrong in my passport.
100. I don't like the wet towels they give passengers on the plane.
101. I have hazel eyes. They can smile.
102. This list revealed me to myself.

Oct 3, 2007

Food + Mona Lisa = Blogging + Elections

Obsession: Food
Type: Incurable
Reason: New pizza recipe!

Let me show you what I mean..


Yes, I'm obsessed with those. *sighs*


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Today, I was flipping through the TV after fu6our (yes, me flipping through the TV), and I saw a Mona Lisa imposter *gasps*! Two seconds later, my vision clears.. And it's none other than 7aleema. Imagine (for those who did not see this unexpected, out of the blue characterization). The infamous Gioconda portrayed by 7aleema Boland. Although it was a bit disturbing to see a bimbo-like Mona Lisa sighing over the looks of Leonardo da Vinci, it was also interesting the way this episode told the story behind the mysterious smile of a not so mysterious lady. Everything is an experience.


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A favorite post from one of my favorite blogs.

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Announcement: Sou voted in the college elections!
*laughs in a devilish way*