a turquoise flower

So I went to my local comic store again today and shamelessly spent a lot more money on more comics. (Self-control, I haz it not but thankfully, there was a $26 discount in there so I didn't end up spending as much as I would've without the discounts.) I brought Spider-Woman: Origin, The Amazing Spider-Man: Secret Invasion, Young Avengers: Family Matters (which is a compilation of issues #7-#12 and Young Avengers Special #1 - of course I'd have loved to get the beginning issues too, but the store didn't have them so will keep a lookout on them), and What If? Secret Wars #1, which is a compilation of Captain America: Fallen Son, House of M, Spider-Man: Back in Black, Newer FF, and Young Avengers/Runaways and answers such questions as what if Doctor Doom kept the Beyonder's power? What if Iron Man had died instead of Captain America? What if the Scarlet Witch had said, "No more powers" instead of "No more mutants?" What if Mary Jane was shot instead of Aunt May? What if the new Fantastic Four stayed together as a group? And finally, what if the Runaways became the Young Avengers?" Which is all YAY and makes me ^__________^ and *____________*.

Still didn't get to buy Abandon by Meg Cabot, but the store ordered it for me and will be here by Wednesday so hopefully will have it in my possession by then.

It's kinda funny that I've just been buying Marvel stuff. I didn't intend for it to end up like that intentionally, it's just all the characters I've been interested in have been from titles that Marvel's published (X-Factor, Runaways, Young Avengers, Spider-Man, and the Fantastic Four, once I figure out where I want to start with them - not from the beginning, LOL) but I totally do want some DC titles too and have been meaning to check out Birds of Prey, not just because it's a DC title but it's primarily focused on female superheroes, which, HELLO, YAYNESS. (And Batgirl sounds awesome too. And of course Batman and Superman titles would be awesome to get into too but Batman & Superman have been around relatively a lot longer than Batgirl or Birds of Prey. Batgirl didn't appear as a character until '61 whereas Batman's been around since the late 30s.)

There were also some Tiny Titans issues I've been thinking about buying some day because they're all just so cute! And I've read the Tiny Titans: Sidekickin' It trade back before and it was so funny and witty for an all-ages comics. (And I find it funny that in Tiny Titans, Slade is the principal of their side-kick school and Darkseid is the janitor/whatever-else-Slade-wants-him-to-be, especially because in the DC continuity verse, Slade and Darkseid are very evil and creepy but Tiny Titans does even say in its comic that it's not part of the continuity so it really should be enjoyed for its adorableness - which I have no problem with.)

~*~

After attending my brother's fiancée's graduation on Saturday, we (my brothers, my brother's fiancee, and her mother, who I incidentally met for the first time on Saturday) all went out to lunch to Kons Asian Bistro, where I had the filet mignon and shrimp combo - because I absolutely love shrimp, seriously my love for shrimp knows no bounds, I wish I could eat it everyday - and they all had a combination of chicken, salmon, and filet mignon too. And of course we got some combo of vegetables and hibachi fried rice. It's always awesome to have a hibachi table and be entertained while waiting for the food.

So it was a good week. And I finished my second year of undergraduate college last Wednesday too.

~*~

And will end this post with the awesome Tiny Titans: Sidekickin' It cover:

Excuse me while I vent a bit here.

I HATE double standards, and lemme tell ya, I get them a lot around here. For the most part, I can take it because I know my parents are deeply rooted in their old-fashioned ideals and whatnot, and it's not like they can change and it's not like I'm a confrontational person so I won't blow my top over it because that'd be childless and it won't solve anything but make me guilty later on. Although I have told my parents how much I hate that they treat me differently just because I'm a girl, and therefore inferior as opposed to my brothers. But- and I hate to admit it- they're probably right. Left to my own devices, I don't think I'd make it to my next birthday.

I know that my parents are only protecting me because there are a lot of bad things in the world, it's just kind of hard to like it in the moment, you know?

I don't know. And it's not like they baby me or anything, it's just when it comes to basic rules like when we're allowed to stay out till, and whatnot, I always get the short end of the stick. The brothers can stay out till midnight, but I can't stay out past eight unless someone is with me but my dear brothers don't have to adhere to the same rules, which just sucks because it's ridiculous. But I can't seem to do anything about it because they are right.

So basically I feel as though I'm stuck.

Just let me hope that it can get better when I'm actually an adult. (And being a few inches taller would help, you hear that Universe??)

------

This morning, twin brother and I found some ants near the potted plants in the kitchen on our way to school.

Brother promptly started to stomp on them, and I felt sad for the poor little creatures. They were just minding their own business and suddenly there's a big shoe coming down on them. It made me think of that Hey Little Ant book.

I know ants are annoying and everything, but they don't deserve to die. Sheesh.

------

So, Mom and Dad brought brother's car today.

It's a deep red '99 Ford Escort. It was $2,500 and has 64.000 milage (like I know what that means). It's so cute! (Ok...maybe not the right adjective to describe his car. XD) It's used though, so it's not exactly too nice looking. Mom and I spent about two hours today cleaning and washing it and it's still a bit shitty to be honest. But it runs okay and that's the important thing.

It does have a sticker of the Deering High Rams on the back window though (the adversary for PHS bulldogs, where we go to school; ha, just thought that was funny when I got excited about getting driven to school in it and wondered if people would notice, but they probably wouldn't even glance at it. The only Serbian girl I know who went to Deering was its previous owner. My nationality tends to pick Portland High...since it's more diverse.)

Honestly, though it's so different from our car, it's going to take awhile to get used to it because it's a drive-stick as well (is that what it's called when you have to shift the gears while driving, I dunno?), as opposed to our Dodge Stratus, which isn't. The seats are also really low and the layout of the radio system is different, it's like gahhhh! What do you do?

>>Quite honestly, I really am not a car enthusiast, but this is all so exciting! I could stare at this car all day/night and talk about it...but well I can't. Blah.

I hope my brother gives me a ride around the block tomorrow...I did give him $50 for it since he was short of it!

EDIT: HOMG, I found this image of the car model and it looks exactly like the one we bought!


*Image copyright Google Images

You know that you're not a normal teenager when you try to swindle your mother into going to the bookstore instead of a clothing store. 

But in my defense (o_o), I really, really despise shopping for clothes. I don't know what it is. The instant I don't find something I like, then the whole shopping experience goes downhill for me. 

And then when we got to Walden Books this evening, I felt like I was in heaven, mostly because I saw the manga section (which I don't remember ever being there). I looked at all the awesome books, and when we were about to leave, I still hadn't decided on a book. I saw Twilight and wanted to buy it, but the only two copies they had, didn't satifsy me. Basically they were not in the best condition. So, this conversation followed with my brother:

My brother: "You're so annoying, Jelena."
Me: "I don't like the cover."
My brother: "Who cares about the cover?"
Me: "I do. I want my book to be perfect."
My brother: "Ugh, just buy it all ready."

Long story, short: my parents decided to come back another time and use my giftcard then.

Wah, I wanted my copy of Twilight now though.

I got a new baby cousin this Wednesday! I'm just sad that we live across the ocean from each other and I can't go visit her anytime I want. Oh well.

Theodora was welcomed into the world on Wednesday November 2, 2005. (I know, weird name. But it's kinda pretty. It kind of sounds Shakespearan. Don't know.)

Alright, so Mom kind of gave me a big shocker this morning. She told me my aunt, my dad's sister, the one who lives somewhere in Eastern Europe, and has a ten year old boy already is... pregnant!

When she first came into my room to tell me, my first reaction was screaming joyously and jumping up and down, nearly running over my mother, and then after that first reaction, I thought 'oh, no, what's going to happen now'. I mean, before I moved here to America, I remember her crying all the time and being forlorn when she would visit with my little cousin. And all because of her good-for-nothing husband. He treats her horribly. He kept breaking her heart over and over again and caused her grief. Now, I don't want to accuse him of abuse, since that would be jumping to conclusions, and I learned from past experiences to not even go there. And I'm positive that he wouldn't go as far as to hurt her physically, just emotionally. But I feel as though she deserves better than him and I can safely say that I don't think I'm alone in thinking that. Dad and his brother, my other uncle, also think that she can do better than him.

As you can probably tell all ready, my aunt's husband is certainly not anywhere near the top of my favorite list. But I could be wrong, (and there's a ninety percent chance that I am) things could have worked out since I last saw her seven years ago. I certainly hope so. I hate feeling this way. But my aunt needs someone who will love her unconditionally and, quite frankly, I don't see my uncle as that man... at least not right now.

On a lighter note, the baby is going to be a girl! Yay! I'm so excited to be getting a new cousin.

*******

Which Harry Potter Marauder Are You?