Winter Break

So, this whole being "home" for a month thing has its clear ups and downs. I miss people from Point so much, but one the rare occasion I get to see my dear New Berlin friends it is so so worth it being "home." (home is in quotations because my parents built a house far from the one i grew up in, and almost anywhere feels more homey than that place)

Well, let's start with some highlights: New Year's Eve at Lauren's house was really great because as soon as I saw everybody again, I felt glad to be back for the first time. (That's right, Christmas kind of sucked this year. I just couldn't get into the spirit...) I also had a great time hanging out with Nemo, Kay, and Brownie (that's Erica, Kathryn, and Amanda for most of you). Good talks. Then of course my birthday pretty much rocked (except for the Packers losing). The surprise party by Kelley and Roxy was amazing and you should stop by my dorm sometime and see the awesome card they made. Then of course there was tonight, which was histarical fun in Downtown Milwaukee. (we regressed from dancing at a club that has been closed all year, to settling a fight in a dark alley with a rock-paper-scissors tournament, to being turned out of a bar, to showing up at a closed restaurant, to eating gross doughnuts while a homeless man predicted our futures at a 24 hr. Dunk'n Doughnuts, to just chillin at Kelley's house) We'll try a new/open club tomorrow.

Ok. So living here has also been downright shitty at times. I've spent ridiculous amounts of time playing Hearts and Solitaire on my computer when no one's online. My parents are in control of basically everything I do because they have the cars. If they know where, what, who, when, how, size, color, shape, atomic mass, and ending time... I can do whatever I want... as long as I'm home by dark. Ok. It's not always quite that bad. But sometimes...

I am looking forward to some things. Tonight, we're trying a new night club in Milwaukee that should be great. Saturday, I get to go up to Appleton to dance and see some friends from Point. So far, it's just Kenzie, Steph, and I, but I hope Britt, Em, and Jay come too.

Don't think I hate it here. My mom especially has tried so hard to make it great here for me. My feet don't hang off the end of my new queen size bed, the basement appartment is progressing nicely, and my mom stays up late just to hang out with me even though she works early. It's been great seeing her everyday. Both my parents. And I really do miss my cats at school. While many will argue that cats dont care at all about anyone, mine are simply sweet and loving. And yes, they run up to you when you've been gone all day, bring you toys to play with them, and jump into your lap just to cuddle. My lump of a turtle actually doesn't care, but she did eat that egg I made for her. It must be love. I also love real food, and not hitting the ceiling every morning, and not fighting gravity to exhaustion just to take a nap in the lofts. So home has its strong points.

Either way, I want to go back to school. Next semester is going to be great. I just know. Even though it'll be more work and i'll have way more to do, and I won't be able to use the fact that I'm just a little freshman as an excuse for getting away with stuff, it's going to be great. One more week...

Legal

Hey, I'm officially an adult. So... there are a lot of new things I'm allowed to do. Although I doubt I'll do many of them, I have been thinking about a tatoo for some time. I really want a cute little pineapple just inside my left hip. That's what I'm thinking for now anyways. (I wonder how long it will take for my mother to revive, call, and start begging me not to defile my body...)

Again, officially legal. So... you all know what that means... No more calling me "Jailbait!" Ok, so that may never stop, but it will be undeserved from now on.

So, I wake up on my birthday, and my mom and I drive to Kohler, WI to the American Hotel. We eat the coolest brunch ever, check in, and head over to the Kohler Water Spa. After more checking in we change into these spa robes and sandals and check it all out. The pool was not as heated as we had hoped, but the waterfall was cool. The cold plunge was out of our league crazy. The sauna was nice for me, but too hot for my mom, and the steam room... oh let me tell you. Scariest place I have ever been. I was so hot and wet in there that it felt like you were drowning while you were breathing. Then there's this huge shower head on the ceiling that really reminds me of a Nazi death camp. All of a sudden, steam starts pouring out of a vent in the floor, and we ran for our lives. FREAKY. The hot tub was nice and realaxing at least. Then it was time for our spa treatments. I got this body exfoliation that was really cool. Basically they poured hot oil on me, scrubbed me with salts, showered off, wrapped me in a water bed, then massaged. That was great. Then I got a facial after that. I didnt really want to leave, but the Packer game was coming on. We go back to the hotel, order pizza, and watch the Packers lose. Oh well, I predicted that one. We got all dressed up for dinner and had the best meal everin the hotel restaurant. A surprise cake came and finished off the huge meal with style. We spent the night and came home the next day after checking out the Kohler bathroom and kitchen displays. At home, I celebrated with both my parents with my mom's homemade lasanga and my dad's chocolate cake. Then, the doorbell rang, and it was a bunch of my closest friends with tons of food, cake, and a giant card. They are so sweet. It was the best surprise party ever.

Well, I still haven't used my being 18 for anything. No porn shopping, credit cards, voting, cigarettes, or being tried as an adult yet. The tatoo is still up there on the list. We'll see...