Tonight I went to a Reagan Day Dinner. I saw Senator Dole in the flesh which was pretty cool. What a wonderful, sweet sense of humor she has! Hearing each candidate for NC governor speak was quite boring since I've heard all of them speak already. Some guy at my table suggested a McCain-Gingrich ticket for November's election. I want to say to him: "When hell freezes over." Whatever. I just pretended to be a lovely little conservative and ate my over-salted chicken like the good girl I am. I felt like the dinner was a sort of Reagan-fest. Rabid Republican Reagan lovers going on and on about how great the man was. I will be honest, I have no idea really what Reagan did that was so great and so deserving of all this fawning over. So, I've decided to go to the bookstore tomorrow and grab some biographies or an autobiography if I can find one. You know I hate feeling "ignant."
I am going to write my AP Literature research paper on Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude. I read half of it last year and never got a chance to finish it because of schoolwork, but now that I'm a senior I think I will have more time to enjoy it and finish it. I only wrote two words as my topic that I turned in: "magical realism." And I think that pretty much sums up Marquez's fantastical approach to all of his books. I remember one of my favorite quotes that I underlined in this particular book: "...time was going in a circle." I remember reading this book left me in a dreamy daze, a kind of bittersweet stupor that you can only get when things happen that are completely absurd yet completely charming. The power of words is greater than anything, I think. You can say so little and say so much. You can read so little and feel so much. Needless to say, I am really excited about re-reading it and (finally) completing it.
Speaking of absurd yet charming things, I got this email from Columbia University saying that I am pretty much accepted, but unofficially. I don't think the reality of this notice has really settled in yet. I remember telling Lydia two years ago that Columbia is my dream school and that I would do anything to go there. I mean, New York. And now that I finally have it, now that it is finally within my reach, it just seems completely absurd. Did they make a mistake? Are they sure they want me? Why me? I probably sound like a completely ungrateful brat but I truly am curious as to what they saw in me that is so great. A lot of people tell me I am smart and that I will go far in life, but when I look back on myself that is not the person I see. It doesn't even have to deal with being modest, but I honest to God have no idea where people get this notion that I am "smart." Is there some sort of universal standard? A measuring tape of sorts by which we measure and say, "Hmmm, this girl is a genius." Like everything, intelligence is relative. What is around you is what you measure by. Perhaps I am a big fish in a small pond. I think this is one of the reasons why I cannot wait to go to college. This image of myself that has been fed to me by friends, teachers, family--I hope to tear it down by surrounding myself with "equally" intelligent and bright young things who are simply spouting with energy and passion and...genius. I need to know that there is something more.
BLAH BLAH BLAH I HATE SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These are the days in which I am SO glad I am a SEEEENYA and have only like 4 more months of high school left.
BECAUSE I'M A SECOND SEMESTER SENIOR!!!!
Yes that's right. This means that I don't really have to do any more homework or pretend to care about school and grades! I am FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
Anyway, Gossip Girl is such an addicting show. My favorite character is of course Dan. What a smart AND hot guy. I really do like Blair but not her character. I just think she's cute. But the one person who I cannot STAND on the show is Serena van der Woodsen. Everything she says is so corny and it makes me want to barf. Chuck is hi-larious w/ his funny looks and bad boy self, and Nate is a pussy. But a very beautiful one so I forgive him.Today I have my Duke interview. I hate interviews.
I was going to go running this morning but it started to rain. :(
Last but not least: boys are dumb. Here, have a song:
This weekend I watched some really great movies with some really great friends. I LOOOOOOOVE THEM! (The movies and the friends!)
Today I went shopping. My tastes have grown from American Eagle and Abercrombie & Fitch to Banana Republic and J.Crew. I AM TOTALLY READY FOR COLLEGE. No more of this tweeny stuff. I want to dress all sophisticated-like...but not so much that I look like a granny. But hmm, I do feel an affinity for cashmere cardigans. I will probably become one of those girls whose wardrobe looks like it came straight out of a children's librarian's closet.
I have senioritis so bad. Which is bad because next week is exam week. I'm going to DIE. I haven't studied AT ALL for anything. Uh oh.
Julia and I have been reading Mindy Ephron's blog and picking out some really great quotes. I LOVE THAT GIRL and I wish she was my friend! She makes the greatest posts. Like... "I'm not gonna front with you guys: most of the time I'm a hap-py (Hindu-American princessy) girl who lives on egg-based brunch meals from gay luncheon spots on 3rd street." Yeah that is like priceless.
Hello world. I am updating this Vox just for Julia, who has gotten one to finally write down things about her strange and exciting life! :)

I am studying the Northern Renaissance in AP Art History this week. This one is my favorite work, titled Portrait of a Lady by Rogier van der Weyden, completed in 1460. It is one of the often overlooked pieces of Renaissance art, but it appeals to me somehow. A delicate beauty, and a perfect title for it too.