[ ONE WEEK DOWN ] i think i pretty much have college down baby! haha ... so like all the other freshmen on the first day, i was excited and scared shitless. on the drive down, i saw a FULL-ASS rainbow. 1) that was weird coz i havent seen one since ive been here. and 2) back on guam, if i saw a rainbow on the drive down to school, i ended up having a bad day. in conclusion, rainbows = bad-day. there were so people who pulled over on the highway to take a snapshot. funnyfunny. and who didn't get lost on the first day of school?! (haha ... did you get mench's email on her first-day at UH adventure? funnystuff) geeze! my classes are all in different buildings on opposite sides of this BiG-ASScampus. im a lazy. not to mention a naive freshman all over again. so i took my car everywhere i went.

[ PSYCH 101 ] i have about 200 people in my psychology class (strike one). we've kinda unofficially made the center "J" row the education majors row. haha ... all of us are girls ... BIGsurprise. they're cool. just not as "crazy" as the old crew ... i MiSS YOU GUYS!! there were only NEW EDITIONS of my book left so it cost me $127? (strike two). im not liking psych so far ... didnt think it would end that way. everyone kept talking about the VMA's. the only wh0a part was the whole BRiTNEY-MADONNA-CHRiSTiNA Ki** thing. sorry ... im almost ruining it again. but yeah. the beginning & chris rock's opening was prolly the really good parts of the entire show. i fell asleep after the olsen twins. things were starting to get un-funny. that and beyonce's earings were hypnotizing.

[ FLC UPs & DOWNs ] i like this freshman program. i'll know at least 20 people in my big classes coz of the way they grouped us. the only down part is that i have school everyday - 3MON/1TUES/2WED/2THUR/2FRI. & i thought this 1 credit Learning Strategies class would be a waste of life but it was so worth the afternoon time slot. but im having fun. math is so FUCKiNGEASY ... its more of a readingmath. im thinking of taking another math course next semester - one with more NUMBERS that WORDS. whateversclever. most of the friends ive made are upperclassmen ... the first day of school, i met up with vivianna, this cool sophomore ... and we had lunch with her co-worker, richee who went to PBCC on the FAU campus. the three of us bonded like that ... haha ... i dont know why ... he's from ecuador - looks like greg cole (remember him?) and vivianne is from columbia - she looks like salma hayek with a prettier nose. she had a class and we had a three hour break so she invited us to her music class. she didnt really want to go coz she only needs it to fulfill an elective requirement but we followed. you can basically walk into the big classes coz no one really takes attendence. (she said its a good way to get an idea of how the class is before you decide to take it) but we got there late so we just galavanted (haha) met more people ... BSBS more BS. then that was it. they also hooked my up with the nearest filipino store location! woohoo! they have a filipino friend. they kept taking about lumpia. yummmmm.

[ SHiZZOUTS ] shaya: yes, its been a while. i want to talk to you! be home dammit! oh yeah, & we're sticking with the POO for a while! haha ... miss you! chado: yeah, the kineXti0n sucked that one night. but here's my trick. just tell one or two people. i didnt even tell ryan. i believe it was jenna and sheila who were my good luck charms. hope you pass it this time! driving is so overrated anyways ... haha ... you cant possibly fail as many times as i did and look at me now - im driving the super highways (95 mph +)! yeaaaaaaaaaaahbuddy. hello ives! hello jenna! hello rems! where are you lisa?! ryan, kev, stef, and all you party people (haha): i feel a little inspired & i wish you all were as happy as this. so sing as though no one's listening. dance as if no one's watching. and live like theres no tomorrow.

[ HAPPY THOUGHTS ] queer eye is funny. we have a preffered customer thing some place so we could rent movies for .79 cents. joy got chicago last night. we saw it on the plane but i didnt get to see it all. i have those songs stuck in my head now. blah. speaking of joy ... she's doing much better. she gets a kick out of the way her friends admire her food. haha ... i wanna tell you all about this radio station i listen to ... its like this place's version of MALAFUNKSHUN. its super funny ... but ill tell you about it next time. but yeah. i like school. and i dont. college is fun. =) ryan had a dream that i made him go out and buy me some "girly products" haha ... and he didnt want to but he eventually did. he came back with like 4 packages of Always ... haha ... yes, ladies, that IS A FRICKING LOT yeah? haha ... so he was like, im just stocking up. haha ... so he wouldnt have to go out for "girly products" for another YEAR! haha ... but ive figured my life out. one way or another, we're gonna end up in Hawaii ... someone buy me the Coldplay CD and I'll love you for life.

miss you and love you all!

[ BOX OFFiCE BABE ] it was raining super hard yesterday. i saw it as an omen. dear God, please let everything go well. drove to FAU to find that one last book i need. it wasnt in. again. and i had a job interview at 11. i nailed it after only 5 minutes and before i knew it, i was being given a training schedule and finding my way to the student employment office to fill up the last of my paperwork. so starting tuesday, i'll be working at the FAU's University Center Box Office ... selling tickets for the shows and whatnot. not so much of a demanding job, but they pay is good. AND i get into the concerts free. AND the hours are flexible.

[ YOUTH FOR CHRiST? ] we went to this party last week. it was all filipinos so the atmosphere was nice ... the party was a "Welcome Home" party for some people's relatives who just came from Guam. Turns out this guy was one of my dad's golf buddies. So they were introducing us around and my (new) auntie fey kept trying to get me to join this Youth For Christ thing at their church. i really didnt want to. in my head i was like - uhm, CCD ended after Confirmation, thankyouverymuch. but my mouth forced myself to be respectful so i just told her i'd think about it. hmmm ... i'm not really into those kinds of meetings. i mean, i dont think i'd like being there, surrounded by people who WANT to be there would probably make me feel like ... UNHOLY! haha ...

[ NEW LAYOUT ] so yeah. school's starting monday. awesome how people all over are updating on how things are going with the new school year. i saw people moving into their dorm rooms yesterday. i wanted to cry coz people were like hugging their parents and bring their boxes in. haha ... ok, im a loser. but yeah, about the layout. im not planning on working on anything new for a while. i have a couple layouts in storage because im cool/bored like that. haha ... but yeah ... the time will come. most likely, i'll still fill you in on the daily-BS and complaining. by they way, i dont think i ever did a BROWN layout. i was feeling the whole OWL thing k?! oh yeah and i redid joy's page too so check it out. miss you all lots!

HAPPY (belated) BiG 1-8's TO JENNA & REMY!

KEY WEST

[ KEY WEST ] Key West was amazing. for the unfamiliar, the Florida Keys is the group of islands off the southern coast of florida. the islands are actually separated from the mainland but not entirely because they are all inter-connected by mile long bridges. MAJOR vacation spot - maybe the american equivalent to the Bahamas. the main island (called Key West) is the second to last one and at a mere 2-miles wide/4-miles long, its the largest of the chain. (haha, that was a fun geography lesson)

Key West seemed like Guam but super-duper-commercialized/ better(?) i cant really explain ... you really have to experience it for yourself. just being back on an island made my mood so much better (ps: sorry about the bad vibe in my last entry, and SUPER sorry for spoiling the shows for you guys back on guam!!) yes. a vacation is probably the cure for anything.

i almost forgot how much fun being a tourist was. there was so much to do. so much to see. The store owners call you as “Beautiful” to get you to buy their stuff … and what the hell, it is nice to be flattered like that … even if there was a big chance they weren’t straight. (haha, more on that …) you could get anywhere by walking ... everyone rented either bicycles, mopeds, scooters ... it was just really cool ... and everyone's just walking around in their swimsuits and crap. i got a zori tan. haha ... yeah, sexy right? ...

i feel all old and crap saying this but i was more interested in the fucking history than the shopping. (yeah that shocked me too ... i guess its coz i miss school and learning so much) so instead of spending on crap, i was learning about crap. haha ... got us to visit Ernest Hemingway's (the author) house. sounded boring at first but it was actually interesting. its history dammit! (shit, how many people can say that?) took tons of pictures at museums, aquariums, blahs. it was so fun. the southernmost point of the Continental United States is located there. before the great depression, Key West was the richest city in the U.S. after the great depression it was one of the poorest. (it's economy depended so much on tourism) - reminded me of Guam. there was this place called Mallory Square where every evening, hundreds of people watch one of the most beautiful sunsets i've ever seen (dead serious) ... they called it the MALLORY SQUARE SUNSET CELEBRATION.

there are quite a few navy bases there. small. we stayed on one called Boca Chica. the bases are even historically connected - wait, yeah ... duh ... the islands offer an ideal spot for ships. in the 1500's-1600's, it was a haven for pirates. so lots of the tourist attratcions are pirate-themed. i thought most of that was gay though. and speaking of gay! haha ... Key West has one of the highest concentrated gay communities. we didnt see that many (gay guys) during the day - my dad's friends did warn us though not to be out on the main strip after 8 because thats when they "come out" i guess? haha ...

water sports. thats the only thing we didnt really get to during our short stay. the most we did was swim/dive off piers and kayak. diving in the water wrong really does hurt. i learned a hard way. the beaches were nice. we visited one beach. it was super perfect. the sand was so soft, the water was nice and ... yeah ... it was just really fun. i need to get some snorkel gear. i never knew how much fun it is swimming with fish. haha ... not really ... but yeah ... a little?

the entire time, i kept thinking about being there with the crew - how much fun we'd have. how much fun the island boys would have fishing. how much fun it would be to all get matching zori tans. how cool we'd all be riding down the streets in our mopeds - looking like a motorcylce gang only its those small motorized, happy little bikes we'd be riding. haha ... we really should go there after like college graduation or whatever. after everyones left guam and been away from the island life for a while. I really want to take you guys there … hmmmm ... sounds like a plan.

all in all, i loved the trip. (better than being home doing nothing) but i dont think i would want to live there. one, you cant live in the keys if you dont own a boat. i swear, there were thousands. their boats have satellite dishes. my house doesnt even have a dish. two, fishing. thats what this town was about. every night we dropped my brother and dad off at the coast guard pier and they could spend hours fishing. it used to be fun at first but now im just tired of it. i caught a fucking rock. who the hell casts a
line and catches a damn rock!?! my bait was even gone. the damn rock ate my bait. we've been to so many docks, piers, blah. im tired of the pathfinder smelling like fish. ok, maybe im just spiteful coz of all things, i caught a rock. three, the pirates. they were getting old. four, i MiSSED HOME! & my dog.

if you're ever in the area ... or state of mind ... visit Key West and the Florida Keys. its lovely all year round. definitely an experience.

[ GETTiNG BACK ] so its been almost two weeks since we've been back from the vacation and so much has happened, both good and bad. the bad news first right? BILLS. we have lots of them. haha ... to me, its the downside of living in the US ... goddamn debt. so we're cutting back on everything in the house ... and basically spending more time OUT of the house. its cool i guess. but even when we're at home, theres nothing much else. the phone company and internet people fucked us over with a $500 bill. so our internet has been limited to my dad's government laptop. and phone use is limited to incoming calls only and cell phones. all in all, its just pretty boring at the Mauricio house. but the good news. we dont spend that much time home anyways ... school's started for the kids. CJ goes to an "A" school and so far, he's liking middle school. it doesnt really take much to make CJ happy. as long as the food at lunch is good (he gets an a la carte menu, you know, with Taco Bell and whatnot) he'll be happy. on the other hand, joy is pretty much hating her new high school. her first day she missed the bus home and came back crying. i feel bad for her ... the Luis Vuitton girls ... yeah, they're her classmates. but the first week is just about done and things are getting better. our other car is finally here. and FAU finally got back with the good news and i had my orientation last week. orientation was crazy. it lasted 2 days ... and there was about 250 of us freshman - and that was the 8th out of 9 orientations this month of just freshman alone. so yeah ... most of it was touring this huge campus ... getting aquainted with college-life, i guess? so i am now an official FIGHTING OWL! haha ... out of everything though, the most surreal thing for me was getting my student ID (my OWLcard, haha) which doubles as my ATM card. registered for my classes ... unlike most college students, i have a 5 day schedule, with 5 classes. its crazy. i met lots of people. the group was pretty diverse. 90-something percent of the student population commute to school. i met this girl who looked just like Jessica Ruiz and she's driving from Miami - which is over an hour and 20 minute drive. so i registered with a Freshman Learning Community which works out your schedule so that you'll mostly have the same people in your classes because you're all working towards the same major. right now, im majoring in Elementary Education with full intention of switching to Secondary Education with a degree in Science (i think?). man. im in FRIGGIN COLLEGE! i talked to ives, ryan, and heard from kev and im one of the few who starts in august. boo. my books for this semester alone cost $310 ... but im currently in the process of getting an on-campus job. im being trained to work with the Campus box-office which sells tickets and shit for concerts, shows, etc. at our stadium, or auditoriums. so yeah ... lots to keep me busy these days ... i officially start on the 25th. wish me luck!

[ HAPPY THOUGHTS ] people turning the subheading into some kind of trend. blah. a WASSUP to Stefani Ancheta - girl, i miss you! talked to your dad back in guam, good luck at UNLV (or wherever it is)! to TEAM KDP scattered all over the place and all my fellow alumni - *deep breath* here we mother-fucking go! to everyone back on guam - good luck with school this year! especially chado-mcChado, get the kids to be good, ACCREDITATION IS FUCKING KEY!! the CAMPFiRE BUDDiES - make me proud and kick some ass at volleyball! (and a big WOOHOO! to maryanne for making varisty!) for the rest of you: download the following: Johnny Cash - Hurt, miss you and love you all!

[ BORED BORED BORED ] sorry i havent updated. theres nothing much going on. im so glad to know ryan made it to washington safe and sound ... but i feel bad at the same time ... babe, you know that if i could, i would take you away from there! hmmm ... im waiting around for word on ivey's trip, and how kev's managing in michigan. some questions for the kids we left back in guam:

1. Is Ms. Maher (the di-ZZike!) a permanent teacher now? i suggest you not take her class.
2. Is Ms. Rubio gonna be back for another year? If so, someone please send Kyle my condolences!
3. Who's the volleyball coach?! (if its maher again, be sure to spike one at her head for me - and one for ryan!)

[ wErd FROM THE WISE ] i've been reading up on my favorite guam kids' blogs and everyone's posting up their schedules. damn. i miss GHS already. =( but yes, for the inquiries - mr. milligan vs ms. tyrrell: stick with tyrrell, its a learning experience. mr. milligan is the bomb but you should wait to take him during your senior year - more fun that way. don't back out of a class just because of the teacher - a lesson i learned the hard way - unless its tyrrell for seminar. (yuck) which computer course? take programming/comp. language courses (java, css, etc.) only if you're super duper into that stuff already. otherwise, its a big headache and you only need 1 year of computer so take something fun and easy. don't take the same elective just because ... you'll want to experience it all ... i had too many PE credits ... haha ... i coulda taken something cooler. and just because you completed grad. requirements for a specific subject, don't be hesitant to take more of it ... for example, foreign language. the more languages you have, the better it will look on apps.



[ HAPPY THOUGHTS ] went to Boomers! - lame/alright family park thing with the neighbors. i almost passed out waiting in line for the go-karts. but i ended up first place in my pink car ... haha. im sick of fishing. its fucking monsoon season so i cant go swimming anymore - and haven't gone in like a week and a half. yes sheila, im praticing so you cant drown me anymore. by the way, WELCOME to the site finally! yes, you're doing just fine. now we need to wake everyone else up and get them to post. to everyone else: im leaving for the Keys - you know, THE florida keys - sounds fabulous yeah? - tomorrow and we'll be gone for a week or so. we'll see how it goes. its a vacation from the BLAH here in Lake Worth. we're staying on base. my ID finally gets some action after so long ... for the perverted (haha ... like me(!) sometimes ...) - errr, i mean, MATURE! - the new show NIP/TUCK on FX is a HOTT one ... haha ... but really, the issues are in-your-face ... even though you'd have to sorta THINK about it? nevermind.

today's pic: 1. My leg. i scratched a message (Hi GUYS!) into it coz i was that damn bored. 2. the lake in the back. we tried getting a pic of the gator swimming in it but its not there! haha ... 3. joy and me ... being BORED! 4. CJ's LEGO tower. coz he's bored too. 5-7. the Marlins game. CJ and my dad went. they said it was really cool. im not into baseball but i think i'll go next time ... the pictures of the stadium that my bro took looks fake. but fun.

HAPPY BELATED CHADO-SAN!

i'll see you in a week! miss you and love you all!