On August 22, 1999, my parents dropped my off at my new home - Radford University in Radford, Virginia. It was the only school I applied to out of high school - and it was an eight and a half hour car ride from my comfy little home in New Jersey. I had a million thoughts going through my head as I hugged my mom and dad goodbye:

"Will I make friends?"

"Will I be homesick?"

"Will I hate it here?"

"Will I be the outsider?"

What I quickly discovered was a place that would change my life and would live with me forever. Not only did I embrace my new environment, a part of me absolutely fell in love with it. The people, the scenery, the slower pace of living - every aspect of that part of the country was so different from that in which I was raised that it entranced me.

Not only did I become part of the Radford University family, I also soon discovered a second "family" ten minutes away at Virginia Tech. Several years ago, when campuses were divided according to gender, Virginia Tech was the male campus and Radford was the female campus. A lot of the students from Tech came to Radford to party, and a lot of students from Radford went to Tech. I was regularly one of them.

My impression of Tech was (and will always be) one of complete awe. The campus is undeniably striking in its size, it's regality, and it's sheer beauty. The student body was composed of very gifted, promising young men and women who would give the shirt off their own back to someone who needed it and who had enough guts and strength to stand up for whatever they believed in. The friends that I made at Tech were thoughtful, warm, caring, loving, and true. The members of the Tech faculty and staff were undoubtedly qualified and consistently friendly.

No community is less deserving of this enormous tragedy... but no community is any more capable of picking itself up from this devastation and forging (positively and admirably) onward.

My thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Blacksburg, but most especially with those who lost loved ones yesterday.

I might be a lot of this, but the last thing I am is a blogger. I do have a lot of thoughts, though, and I've been tempted (over the past few years) to try to get them down so that I can revisit them whenever I feel the need. They don't mean shit to anyone but me, but I figure that in a few years, I might be highly entertained by the ramblings in my head.

Maybe those of you who read this journal will be able to relate from time to time, maybe you'll be somewhat amused by my thinking, or maybe (and most likely) this whole thing will do nothing but confirm in your mind just how much of a freak I really am. My hope is, simply, that you leave with something other than the feeling of, "Well, there's ten minutes of my life I'd like to get back."

Now. Consider yourselves warned. Starting tommorrow, you never know what'll show up here.

~*~ Kel

THIS is the perfect example of what makes Patti LuPone absolutely astounding. Listen to that high belt!

And.... THIS is how "Evita" was meant to be sang. Fuck you, Madonna. :-)

Patti and Mandy Patinkin... does it get any better? Nope!

Sheer brilliance! God, I love the Avenue Q creators. Hilarious! This comes courtesy of Easter Bonnet 2004 - it's a blend of Avenue Q and Fiddler on the Roof (both of which were playing that season).

The annual family vacation is about to begin! The family caravan is leaving in about two hours, heading to Wildwood as usual. It sucks that my fiancee' can't come - as usual. He can never take a few days off of work because his job SUCKS. So, I am forced to do the family thing solo. It's not so bad, though. I do have my own room, which means a tad bit more privacy than some other people would get.

I'll be taking all of my wedding goodies so that I can sort through them, plan, and brainstorm during the downtime - like right before bed. Most of my other time is spent covered in small children. I am "The Kid Magnet," after all. All children love me - children and animals. I attract them both like flies. It's a little exhausting especially because none of their parents even attempt to take them away from me and give me a break for a while. It's okay though, only because I adore each one of the children in my family so much. It's just hard to control them all at one.

Anyway, I have to pack up some shirts and make sure my iPod is charged up.

In honor of my upcoming wedding, I've redesigned my little journal here. Since law school is the most boring thing on the planet, I've decided to use this journal as an outlet for the things I find more enjoyable. That way, as I read through these posts years from now, I can look back and smile. At the top of my "joy meter" is officially being "a bride" - and Broadway (always Broadway).

Because school and work demand so much of me, the only time I really can spend planning the wedding is during summer break. It seems that I'm throwing myself head-first into the insignificant details. Do I have a place? No. Do I have a date set? I have an "idea" of when it will be. Do I have a church or preacher to marry us? Uh-uh.

But, I do have my colors picked out, the theme I want to incorporate, and what I want the favors to be! That's just the kind of bride I am. After some fighting with Dean, I decided to initiate a "compromise." I really wanted a "black and white" ceremony. I wanted the girls to be in black because that's what they said they would be most comfortable in, and I'm sure the hell not trying to make anyone uncomfortable. Dean's opinion on that was that it would look "too much like a funeral." I disagree, and I figured with his white trash relatives in attendance (seriously...), it wouldn't KILL us to attempt to incorporate a little class and dignity into the day. In return, he gets his wish to get married in a church. Those holy doors will probably burst into flames when I walk through them, but if that's what it takes to get my black and white colors, I'll be willing to risk that. This is a huge thing for me - I am so anti-church ever since the demise of my own church about 7 years ago. It was a really bad, disheartening experience for me which left me very jaded.

What else? Well, as of the last count, the invitation list is now at 532 people. Unless I want to file for bankruptcy, that is going to get scaled down. We decided on no children at the reception except of course for the little flower girls and junior groomsmen/bridesmaids. The reason being is that children flock to me and Dean doesn't feel like: 1.) we should have to pay for the food that these kids are supposed to eat (which they never do because most kids think the food served at weddings is "gross") and 2.) he doesn't want his new wife covered in children on our wedding day. I don't blame him one bit. Unfortunately for my wallet, the 532 is not including any children. That count definitely has to get down to about ... 300 or so. This is my current nightmare. I'll post pics of my ideas as I come across them.

I realize that no one reads this bad boy, but I really hope that I get some kind of feedback about my ideas - this isn't exactly something I've ever done before.

Gosh - so much to say, and no energy to say it. There's not much use because this journal pretty much goes as unread as it possibly can. Believe me when I say that that does not surprise me for two primary reasons: 1.) hardly any of my friends even know what LiveJournal is and 2.) my life is as boring as that of an amoeba, but I digress....

First, Happy New Year! I'm three months late, but who cares?

Second, law school is as fun and exciting as law school can be. I'm officially two years in, but since I'm part-time I have two years left. At least this shit is halfway finished - and no, I have no idea what I want to do when I graduate. Does anyone?

Third, I'm not getting married until May 2008, so no wedding plans to speak of now, except that I'm leaning towards a black-and-white affair with my girls in black dresses. If only I could convince Dean... he says it'll look like a funeral. I think it'll look classy.

Other than that, there's not much to speak of, except that I am becoming (thanks to Tina and Alexis) completely obssessed with Sweeney Todd. Like on an unhealthy scale. Then again, I don't think any of my past obssessions can be deemed "healthy." It's like an all-consuming thing. The cast recording is presently the only thing now appearing on my iPod. At least I'm not a stalker. The Broadway production was incredible. Now, I love Sondheim as much as the next theater hag, but for some reason, I never really was interested in Sweeney. Erego,when I saw it I had no clue what to expect except music and blood. I was shocked at how wonderful it was. GO SEE IT WHILE YOU CAN, PEOPLE!

BTW - Patti LuPone ROCKS!

I'm bored - I'll update you all on Holly's visit to America later (and Christmas shit, too). But for now...

Your Christmas is Most Like: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Christmas is a big, boisterous event at your place. And no matter what, something hilarious usually happens.

Your Elf Name Is...

Buddy Stocking Stuffer

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to obedience and warmth. In love, you feel the most alive when your partner is patient and never willing to give up on you. You'd like to your lover to think you are stylish and alluring. You would be forced to break up with someone who was insecure and in constant need of reassurance. Your ideal relationship is open. Both of you can talk about everything... no secrets. Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment. You think of marriage as something precious. You'll treasure marriage and treat it as sacred. In this moment, you think of love as commitment. Love only works when both people are totally devoted.

You Are Cream Pie

You're the perfect combo of simplicity and divinity Those who like you life for understated pleasures

Well, today Dean decided he wanted to "pop the question"! I was totally shocked, and of course I accepted! I'm so excited - even though any thought of a wedding is like two years off because um... yeah... I need to graduate from law school first.

As for the ring, I'll post a picture - he actually did an amazing job. I told him I didn't want a diamond and that I wanted a pink sapphire. The sucker is pretty big - maybe slightly too big! It has diamonds in the band - gorgeous. Here's a shitty little pic of it. The reflection adds a little blur to the stone, but it's flawless in actuality.

I have been to New York City about a zillion times in my life... it's one of the perks of living in Jersey (one of the few). I have seen most of the hot spots in New York (the ones that are so packed that you leave with the body fluids of several dozen total strangers on you), a good amount of the hidden little boutiques and charming eateries that quietly exist amongst the busy streets (which I much prefer to the loud, crowded, often over-rated sights and sounds), and just about every Broadway show I have any remote interest in (and even my share of show which I had no interest in whatsoever ... :cough:JuliusCeasarStarringDenzelWashington:cough:, sorry Laura).

However, despite the numerous hours of roaming the streets of Manhattan, I can safely say that I have not yet spent one day as a "tourist" - you know what I mean. A day spent checking out the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Radio City Music Hall, F.A.O. Schwartz, and the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center (if it's that time of year). All that, however, is about to change. I have never been the Statue of Liberty, nor have I traveled up the Empire State Building in some bizarre homage to "Sleepless in Seattle," nor have I seen the Christmas tree. I have no interest in that stuff.

However, Holly just informed me that this is what she fully intends to do in the city - for six, count 'em, SIX days!! She says she wants to see New York "properly." It is now my task to convince her that seeing New York "properly" is not only playing the part of the tourist - but it's also discovering the "flavor" of the districts that compose Manhattan.

I must say that I am not very much looking forward to the typical New York sights that I'll be forced to visit - that's why they put that stuff on postcards, so I can see it whenever I want. I don't feel the inherent need to experience it... that's just me. However, it will be good to see Holly. In fact, *that* is something giving me great joy in the craziness that is my life.

I just hope I don't have to see her with a camera firmly planted around her neck...

I added a a scrapbook to my journal. Click on it to see pictures of the little ones in my family! Just some baby shots for now. I promise to add some more interesting pictures in the future.

Hey all - just wanted to update this real thing to let anyone who cares know that I'm alive. Here's what's going on:

1.) Law School
2.) Work - I have a new metrosexual dick of a boss
3.) Law School
4.) Dean
5.) Murphy

No social life whatsoever outside of my boyfriend, although Holly is coming in December from London to visit me for a week and I'm so exicted! That's something to look forward to at least. She's my lovely, darling British friend that I met at Radford. She was the international gal, and I was the damn Yankee - two outcasts who bonded amongst the hicks... that's us. :-)

Hey all I'm bored as shit, so... some polls!

This one, I happen to totally agree with.

You scored as Writer. You are one of the cursed few. You are a writer like me. Destined to work alone, you are extremely talented but under appreciated. If you're lucky, you may be the next J.K. Rowling. </td> Writer 100% Singer 94% Actor/Actress 81% Dancer 75% Artist 44% Musician 19% What kind of artist are you? created with QuizFarm.com

I am a hybrid of: Academic Girl Uptown Girl Click on the pictures below to read more: Take the 'What Kind of Girl Are You?' quiz at CookingToHookup.com

You scored as Old Age. In the 1700's, the average life expectancy was 35-40 (slightly higher in females), because of the lack of proper medical care and hygiene. Coupled with a high stillbirth rate, the human race was struggling to exist. Your past life carries with you subconsciously into the next, so your ambition to accomplish many things before death implies you most likely led a long and happy life. </td> Old Age 83% Stabbed 67% Murdered 42% Diseased 33% Suicide 33% Drowned 33% Strangulation 25% ���{.How did you die in your past life? (rev.).}���. created with QuizFarm.com

Not too sure about this one...

You scored as Posh. Like Victoria, aka Posh Spice, you have a taste for the finer things in life. It's important to you to look stylish and classy, but there is more to you than just that. You love your family and are well-suited to domestic life... and the servants that come with it, of course.

What Spice Girl are you?
created with QuizFarm.com</table>

In 1991, I was ten years old. Unlike most 10 year olds, my world was not totally composed of New Kids on the Block and the Barbie Dreamhouse. I wanted to be an actress back then, and I spend days on end watching film after film trying to figure out what I had to do to make it up there. Then, I was a fan of many actresses: Sally Field, Anjelica Huston.... even Dixie Carter (big Designing Women fan).

In September of that year, the day after my birthday, I joined my mother in the living room. She had this old black and white movie on and I remember asking her what she was watching. She told me it was "The Miracle Worker," and I immediately found myself sucked into the story, into the lives of Helen Keller and Ann Sullivan. I felt this feeling of awe and amazement in my living room that day. I don't think I've ever had that feeling about a movie since.

The most powerful scene, in my opinion, took place in the little guest house that Ann took Helen to so that she could educate the child as she saw fit, away from the Kellers' main house and the parents' interference. Helen sat on the floor blowing on this sheer scarf that she had placed over her head. As she sat, seemingly entertaining herself, Ann Sullivan was behind her pleading with the child who could not hear her to learn, trying to figure out some way to connect with her, pleading, "How do I reach you?"

It was at that moment that Anne Bancroft reached me.

I was hooked, and the next day I snuck my mom's copy of The Graduate into my room and watched it. I didn't understand very much of it, but I remember being amazed at the genuine talents that Anne Bancroft possessed. My fascination began. Agnes of God and Turning Point soon followed, and throughout my life I made it a point to watch every movie she was in. How to Make an American Quilt will always be a very special movie to me, as it was the movie that brought me back to Anne when I was a bit older. It was that movie that made me watch The Graduate again. I realized just how brilliant that movie is. Benjamin and Mrs. Robinson.... need I say more?

There is no doubt that she touched many. I went into the city yesterday to see the lights on Broadway be extinguished in her honor and got a little taste of just how many people she touched. I am so proud to be one of them.

God bless you Anne, and may you rest in peace. Thank you for the gifts you've given us.

First of all a shout out... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TEENER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, now on to the happenings of my brain.

Summer is a strange time for me. It's usually the time when I had time to explore new interests and passions that lie dormant for most of the school year. Sometimes I take interest in books, film, television, or something more random like cars (i.e. my baby pink-Audi TT-convertible-with-a-white-top phase). Last year, it was Sylvia Plath and Joan Allen. This year, it's Marilyn Monroe, Ms. Audrey Hepburn (a favorite I'm revisiting), and ancient mythology.

I have honestly come to grips with the fact that I am the most random person on Earth.

I've also become fascinated with the machine that is American Idol. It's one of the top features of modern culture and it's very interesting to read about the impact it's had on society. I will, however, spare you the details of my readings since I'm sure there is no one else on this planet (besides, maybe, the producers and other such people reaping the profits of this show) cares but me.

However, being that this was the last night that the final two performers performed, I must say this:

.....::::::!!!!! GO BO !!!!!::::::.....

I didn't think I'd find any of the contestants on this show appealing, but I was totally wrong. I am totally in lust with Bo Bice and his friggin' sexy voice. I don't care that the producers are pimping that little wooden blonde bitch Carrie Underwood (who I thought was terribly overrated since DAY ONE when Simon practically mounted her in the audition room), Bo deserves the title of "American Idol." Give me Southern rock any day over country music!

Although, I do believe that he is doomed being as there was an article out of England last week about the 25 most influential Britons, which named Simon Fuller (AI's creator) and stated, "This years American Idol - which was won by Carrie Underwood." Funny since the American public doesn't think the winner is determined until the votes are tallied this evening. Bullshit show.

Still, I wish Bo was the winner.

Now that I'm re-reading what I wrote, I've determined that I am in desperate need of a life. I'll update you all on some wedding drama tomorrow (not mine)!

Ok so today I went to Don Pablo's to celebrate Happy Hour on Cinqo De Mayo with Laura and I finally got to meet Val and Lisa who were totally awesome! Of course, I had to get dressed up all cute with my strappy sandals and whatnot, which I LOVE doing. But, as I was sitting there, downing my third super strong margarita, I realized that I had to skip out early because I had an appointment to get the cattapillars on my face that I call "eyebrows" waxed off. It sucks too because I was only there for like an hour, but I digress...

So, I'm sitting there and I'm like, "Damn, this floor doesn't have much traction. I hope I don't fall on the way out." Of course, I get up to leave, give Laura a hug, make myself through the friggin' PACKED dining room and into the section with the assholes who are willing to wait three hours for a table and BAM...

Down goes Kelly.

Not exactly surprised since I friggin' fall all the time, but falling when you're drunk was shockingly more amusing to me. I got up laughing hysterically (and I really had to pee so that probably wasn't the smartest reaction) and ran to the car.

Now I'm going to bed. I probably should have had some food...

My God... an eight hour exam for Property and I survived! I can't believe I knew as much as I did. Hopefully it translates well on paper. For those that don't know (I probably mentioned it before), but your final exams in law school are your entire grade in the course. It's cramming an entire legal course in one HUGE test. Talk about stress.

Of course incompetent teaching doesn't help either. I had to, literally, teach myself property law with my colleagues in class. During property "class," we had Professor Martin's Story Hour. Yeah, sitting in class ten o'clock at night, listening to stories about this man's cat SUCKED, but it's over... Thank God!

One more exam and the summer starts!
!!!!!!!!!! YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!

Hopefully the entries over the summer won't be as boring as the ones when school's in session. Law school takes over your whole life... which really isn't fair, but it's life.

So yeah, I have my Property exams bright and early tomorrow and I spent the night dickin' around on this damn thing trying to make it slightly more visually appealling.

I added a pretty background that clashes with the rest of this site *and* this delicious Sex and the City Mood Theme, which I LOVE!!!!

That's about it on this end. I can't wait for this semester to officially end and then it'll be time to kick it with my girls comin' home from college!

Watched American Idol tonight and can I just say that I hate that stupid blonde chick. I'm totally for Bo!!! Incredible!

Um yeah... I guess that's it... more later when exams are over.