Day 12

Today’s task is simple—check off my type so that I know what it is when I get drunk at a party.

I check off “Mr. Nice Guy” and “Handsome prince”. I feel like I should write a note in there to remind myself that hey, I have a boyfriend, I don’t need to know my type.

But I don’t write that—I’m just going to bet I don’t get so drunk I forget I have Mike. I don’t drink, anyways.

I head to my one class for the day, and that passes quickly.

Then I head to the bus stop. I’m going to meet Mike.

I’m going to a potluck for his church group with him. Should be fun.

The potluck is okay. Good food, and by now I know most of the people there (the kids, anyways. I don’t know all the adults). There is sort of an awkward moment when they’re all praying and I’m just sitting there, but what else should I expect? It’s their church group. I sit quiet and try not to interrupt them.

One of the parents there mentions us going to visit the old ladies last week. Apparently they thought Mike and I made a cute couple. I like hearing this.

Later, Mike and I return to my dorm.

I won’t tell you what we do, but I will say that I love him. So much. And I don’t like that he’s now gone, because I want to be with him still.

--

I still feel awkward and uncomfortable around people praying.
I mean, I know well enough to be quiet and respectful, but still. I feel like I'm intruding on a private moment by being there.

Day 11

Today, I am supposed to talk to someone who I know by sight, but have never spoken to them.

I try to talk to this girl in my writing class. She sits next to me every day, and I don’t even know her name.

But then I notice that she’s drawing a caricature of a black person, and her drawing has really big lips. I can’t say anything to her, I know all I would be able to say is something terrible, and I’d cause a big scene in the class.

Besides, she’s racist. She doesn’t deserve my attention.

Not that I’m even black. I’m pretty much as white as they come. And I can’t say I’m offended on behalf of other people, as I know that ends up being even more offensive. But seriously, anyone knows a drawing like that is just wrong.

Between classes, I go to the bathroom and realize that my period has soaked through my underwear and stained my jeans. Thank God for dark denim, no one notices. But still, this convinces me that I should’ve talked to that girl. Not following the book’s task is bringing me bad luck.

I hide in my room for most of the day. I’ve got bad cramps and I just don’t want to deal with people.

But I bring myself out of my room for another class later. There, I talk to the girl I sit next to and I learn her name for the first time, but I’ve talked to her every day. This doesn’t count.

And so my bad luck continues. I go to the convenience store to redeem a coupon for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream—and they don’t have any Ben & Jerry’s. I’m sad.

There’s a floor meeting in my dorm tonight. I forget about it and show up late.

When it’s over, though, I finally manage to seek out someone to introduce myself to. She lives on my floor and is in one of my classes and I never speak to her.

I learn her name’s Emma. We talk for a short time about where we’re living next year, then head back to our rooms.

I get an email then saying one of my classes tomorrow is cancelled. So now I’m convinced—the book is bringing me good luck when I follow it.

--

I don't remember this day at all, isn't that weird?
it's weird looking back on what happened a year ago. Such a mundane day.
Last night there was a riot outside my dorm because of Bin Laden's death. That is a day that will be remembered. But the year before won't.

Day 10: Meet Jonas Day!

Day 10

Today is basically an ad for the book (yeah, the one I’ve already bought and been reading for 10 days).

It’s a story about someone who followed the book’s instructions and it tells me to check out thiswebsitewillchangeyourlife.com.

So I do.

All I learn is that I’ve got the 2004 version of the book.

The story about the person who followed the book says he lost his girlfriend and got arrested.

I don’t want to get arrested. And I really want to keep Mike.

My day is extremely boring, perhaps because today’s task is boring.

There is an interesting moment where my fingers turn purple, but all that makes me do is turn up the heat in my dorm.

--

This dude comes back in the next book but I'm supposed to marry him.
Anyways. Still don't really care about what happened this day.

Day 9

Today, I need to do something before breakfast.

I set my alarm an hour before I usually get up, and spend that entire hour hitting the snooze button. Since I don’t normally do that, it counts as doing something, right? I learned how my alarm clock works.

To make this all valid, I do check my email before breakfast.

Breakfast is very very tiny. A single Oats & Honey bar. It’s all I could get from the vending machine.

Last night, Mike said he was worried I don’t eat enough. I asked, so you think I’m anorexic?

He said, no, I’m just afraid you’re starving yourself.

For the record, I’m not anorexic, just poor.

I eat a huge lunch to make up for it.

Then I feel sick from the huge lunch. Blech.

My day doesn’t go well, possibly because I didn’t really do the task? Is halfway finishing these going to bring me bad luck?

I go to a doctor’s appointment, and surprise! I get a pelvic exam!

It’s not so bad, really, but it’s my first, so it’s very very awkward.

Unfortunately, it ends with plenty of time for me to go to the class I was hoping to skip. Computer literacy. At least it’s easy.

I hate this class. I sit there, completely bored. I want to tear my ears off and stop listening to this lecture, but I’m stuck. My teacher is an idiot and I have to deal with it because this fulfills a requirement for graduating. But hey, easy A.

I go to dinner after class. While I’m eating, I’m struck with this wave of homesickness. I have just over 2 weeks till I go home, and I can’t wait. But still, it’s over 2 weeks. Knowing that makes me want to cry.

Then I fall in a puddle of water on the ground and I’m humiliated and in pain. I’m definitely going to cry.

I manage to keep it together until I make it to my dorm, but now I’m here and I’m sobbing.

--

I was emotional a lot last year.

My computer literacy class, I do want to say that that teacher was not really an idiot. He was smart, but not the best at actually teaching.

I still sometimes skip meals or have tiny meals because they're expensive. Hey, college student. What can I do?

Day 8: Addiction-Free Day

Day 8

Is Tylenol addictive?

If so, I already broke today’s rule.

I’m not supposed to have any addictive substances today.

But I woke up with a back pain so severe that I’m dizzy and nauseous, so I had to take something.

I must have slept wrong. This is not normal.

I want to cry from the pain.

I also want to cry because today is the day before my period and I can’t have chocolate because it has caffeine in it.

Oh, and it’s Monday and my giant paper is due tomorrow.

This should be interesting.

I so need a massage right now.

I go to class, sleep through it. This isn’t because I wasn’t able to have coffee. I don’t drink coffee anyways. I was just tired.

I return to my room and manage to get a dorm to live in next year! Yay!

My day doesn’t seem to be dragging on that much sans chocolate. My second class of the day is cancelled and I make some plans to see Mike.

An hour later, I learn that what I thought were plans with Mike actually weren’t. He’s not coming.

So I’m crying now. I’m alone, I’m in pain, and I can’t have any chocolate. I’m upset.

Then it turns out I’m wrong about being wrong! Mike shows up (with dinner, yay) and we spend a very wonderful evening together.

--

I still don't know what caused that back pain.
I also still don't know if Tylenol is addictive.
I do know that it's harder to avoid addictive substances than I'd thought. Avoiding caffeine was a good start, but there are so many food additives that we don't really know what they are, or if they're addicting.
I haven't changed my eating habits. I'm a poor college student, I take what I can get. But still, it's a scary thought.

Hey other bloggers out there: can anyone tell me how to reply to comments?

Day 7: Masturbate at 13.56 to the following fantasy

Day 7

Today’s task is to masturbate to a given fantasy at 1:56.

…yeah, you’re not getting the details of this one.

Otherwise, nothing interesting happens today.

Oh, except I get a nasty heat rash. But soon I learn that this Suave Aloe Cucumber lotion I have cures it really fast, so that’s not even a big deal.

--

So I'm looking at this fantasy again, and it's not really even that good.
Also, it's kind of funny that the girls have 5 paragraphs and the guys have 3 sentences.
but come on, I can write better porn than that in the book.

Day 6

I’m sick today.

Just a little cold, but I really need to fight it off before the next week, when everything will be insane with final papers due and studying for my one final test.

Today, though, my task is easy. I have to write the opening line to my debut novel.

But which of my novels will be my debut?

Dear literary agents: PLEASE pay attention here! I want to be published!

From Anne, a science fiction story about how babies will be born in the future:

“Mommy, where do babies come from?”

From While Beauty Sleeps, a retelling of Sleeping Beauty:

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess.

Those are the only two full novels I currently have written. (hint to those literary agents: Anne is better).

I’ve written a bunch of short stories, but I won’t give you those opening lines—they’re not novels.

But they are good stories. Know that.

I’m not focusing so much on the book today, I’ll be honest.

Arguing with my parents over what kind of room they’ll pay for next semester, finishing my papers, fighting off this cold…it’s insanity.

Also I should be doing laundry and dishes this weekend. Sigh. I’m so busy.

--

Actually I've been working on another novel since then, which I actually like.

so, any hypothetical literary agents? Etcetera. "Alice survived her freshman year."

yeah. I really can't remember this day.