Today was one of those days that I didn't really feel like talking much. Nothing was wrong, I was just quiet. Because I wasn't talking much, people were led to believe that something was upsetting me. But no, this was not the case. And no matter how often I explain this to people, they always still manage to question my well-being, which makes me want to scream, "I'm FINE! And don't tell me I'm not!" which comes across as a BIG red flag that something is NOT ok with me. So, usually on days like today, I become really antisocial, not wanting direct human interaction with pretty much anybody. Again, not because I am bothered or upset about something, but because it is much easier to be by myself and not feel like nobody really knows me when I have to go through this "thing" about me with them. Then again, how can I expect them to know if I don't tell them? And if I'm not going to be talking, it's more convenient to be alone where I won't get irritated with those who won't seem to QUIT talking.

To recap, today was a pretty good day, I just didn't talk for most of it. Until this evening.

I think my need for conversation began to erupt around 9:30, when I was talking to Janeen online. I suddenly had SO many things I wanted to tell her. I guess I felt like I needed to squeeze my 6,000 or so words into one short conversation on AIM. Then, when Nozomi got back from wherever she was when I got back from class, I was talking to her like I actually had something of significance to say. You know how when you get excited, the pitch of your voice rises and you start to talk even faster than normal (which is a real feat for people like me, who already speed through their sentences) and you get all expressive and involved? Or is that just me? Anyhoo, I was like that for the 5 minutes I talked to Noz. It was great. She was laughing at me and I told her to tell me to shut up if I started to annoy her by my out-of-the-blue talking.

Speaking of Noz... Monday morning, I was walking out the door to go to my first class. She said, "See ya!" and I replied with the classic third grade quip of, "Wouldn't wanna be ya!" I stood right outside the door and thought, "Why the heck did I just say that?" So, I walked back in and apologized. :) She didn't know what I had said (apparently they don't say that in Japan. Who knew?) so I explained it to her. Now, everytime one of us leaves to go someplace and we say, "See ya!" the other automatically retorts the infamous elementary reply. Today I said both right in a row, and she told me I cheated because she was WAITING for me to say it right before I left. She makes me laugh. She's a good roomie. Way to be, Noz.

As much as I complain about my Spanish class, I really do like it. Today's class was so interesting. I think I am finally catching on to why things are the way they are in Latin American countries, especially in regards to politics. Who ever thought that I'd actually care about that? I know I didn't. Today I learned that I am prejudiced. I didn't know I was. Not prejudiced against any certain people, but against the ideas of socialism and communism. We talked a lot today about the historical reasonings behind the leftist government styles of many Latin American countries and how they are so mixed with dictatorships that it's hard to tell the difference sometimes. Usually, when I (I know I'm not the only one thinking this way, because I talked to some class members afterward. But for the sake of honesty, I'll just say "I.") think about communism and/or socialism, my initial response is something along these lines: Why would anyone seriously want to be communist? What good does it do? Have we ever seen a communist or socialist regime do what it said it was going to (reduce poverty, equalize social status, etc.)? No, we have not. Obviously this system doesn't work, and any country that would purposefully impose this way of life on itself needs to be re-aligned." Or something like that. I am learning now that even though it doesn't seem to be working today and hasn't worked in the past, there are reasons why it is still in existence and in all reality, it HAS done some good. Not much, but some. Will Latin America as a whole ever see peace and prosperity? Probably not in my lifetime, but that doesn't mean that it can't. I hope it does.

I took a test in my night class tonight. Dr. Smith surprised us by putting an essay at the very end of it. I was zipping through the test, confident of myself. It wasn't until after I turned my test in that my stomach sank. I think I might not get any points for my essay. The question I chose to answer was something along the lines of "Explain the change in the worldview of the 17th century and the significance of this change." No problem, I thought. Piece of cake. So I wrote. And wrote. And wrote. It was a really good essay, by far the best I've written this semester. However, after I turned my test in, the thought ran through my mind that I had just completely blown it. How? you might ask ... I talked about the changing views of the 18th CENTURY and the ramifications THAT had, NOT the 17th. DANG IT!! I was on a roll, talking about the Enlightenment and the rise of Deism, along with Adam Smith's _Wealth of Nations_ (most definitely an 18th century piece. 1776, to be more precise), when I should have been writing about absolutism and the Scientific Revolution (Amazing! Even after my rant about Bacon v. Aristotle last week, I still managed to mess this up.). So, we'll see. I'm not sure if I originally read the question wrong or if I just got my centuries mixed up. Either way, I should have caught it BEFORE I turned my test in. Blah. That makes me sad. Even if I got everything else right on the test and received zero of the available 20 points for the essay, that leaves me with an 80%, which I believe is a solid "C." NO!!!

Dad bought the tickets for Cyprus today. Yay! I think he said he got them for $1039, which isn't too bad. It's no $583 deal that I found, but it sure beats $3,000. We'll have a 6 hour layover in Washington, DC, which could prove to be fun.

Other news, I found out today that my godfather (Yes, the Pruett children have godparents. John and Carrie Wilson to be exact.) is getting remarried on March 20. I was in shock when Dad told me that. They divorced last year, I think, for all sorts of reasons, but I never imagined he would remarry so soon. I don't really know what I think about that. We're going to the wedding, so that will be an interesting post. John and Carrie are the closest things to parents I have outside of my own. Most of my memories from early childhood are of times spent with them, actually. They helped raise us and were the ones my parents chose to be our guardians if my parents would have died before we were legal adults. The whole divorce process was messy and involved. I felt "bad" for my parents. What are you supposed to do when your best friends split? Ugh. It's sad, more than anything. I'm sure it will be an emotional weekend.

On a much lighter note, I'm going home this weekend. Jeremy has his Hardcourt Homecoming game on Friday night, and if I'm not mistaken, he might just be on court. Go brother! Following in my footsteps... sigh. Even if he isn't, it should still be a good game. Kalee will be there, too, so hopefully we can do lots of yelling together. And on Saturday, I have hot plans with Andrew. Ok, so maybe not HOT plans, but we're doing something. We still don't know what yet, but I have a feeling it might involve some hair dye. Regardless of the lack of plans, I am looking forward to it. It's been 2 weeks, dang it! Bring on the boyfriend. Woo!

Let me leave you with this quote I heard while I was eating dinner with Eric in the CM lobby after we finished the test:

"I'm in favor of standardized testing. I really am. I like them. I just don't like the power they hold in our society today."

Honestly, that quote has no bearing to this post, or anything at all, really. I just wanted to end with a quote from the guy with dark blue hair in my class. So I did.