[Aidara's Scrapbook] It's Real For Us

by **Aidara** on September 15th, 2011, 12:12 am

I have a lot of vices. Sometimes, I feel like I am just on the verge of being a hoarder. But I've seen the TV show. I totally don't want to be a hoarder.

But still, I find myself collecting things. I have trouble throwing things away as well, like old school papers and homework and notes. I always think to myself... I might need these. It's scary! I'm never going to need my Communications 101 homework! So I make myself throw it out. I don't get anxious over it or anything, but I have to make a conscious attempt to throw it out.

That's not really "Collecting" though. What I do collect is books... and cards. Not greeting cards, but playing cards. Like... Pokemon.

First, I love books. I love the look of them, I love how they all smell differently. Harry Potter, when it first came out, was printed on really nice paper in the hard cover versions, and it smelled FABULOUS. I remember laying there reading the books and taking mental journeys through Hogwarts... and I always pictured it smelling like the pages did.

I can't do libraries unless I am researching. I can't take the books and read them because they're gross looking and they smell bad. Like, WTF is that big brown spot on page 54. Yeah, done with that... So I buy my books instead. For a while, I tried not to even crack the spine on the soft cover books, but that didn't last for long.

I can't get rid of any books that I buy, because I envision myself with a library room one day. My mom has at least two dozen boxes, if not more, in her basement of my books. I'm talking about big moving boxes too. It's kinda scary. But those books all have memories, and I re-read books as well, so I just CANT throw them out.

When I was in 5th-6th grade, and maybe before, I would wake up at 5am to watch the Pokemon show on TV. WHOSE THAT POKEMON?! Itttttt's Koffing! I fucking loved it, I'm not going to lie. And I remember one day, I was in the bookstore with my mommy, buying the newest Thoroughbred book (It was my most favorite series way back when) when I saw.... Pokemon cards at the counter.

Of course I bought them.

Well, my mom bought them.

She bought a lot more too, because I had to catch them all, of course. But it was the PERFECT hobby for little pre-pubescent pre-OCD Jules. I got to organize and re organize those cards. I never played the game, because I never had anyone to play with. So I just put them in those card protector pages that you put in a binder, and left them there.

But almost daily I would take them back out of the pages and put them in in a new order. I remember having so much fun doing that.

Then highschool came and I stopped playing with Pokemon cards because it was Totally uncool. But secretly, I bought the newer gameboy's and Nintendo DS's in whatever order they came out in, and played the Pokemon video games instead. They weren't as fun.

I recently started ...um... collecting the cards again. I find myself on Ebay just searching for the really good deals. It's like fricken Christmas when you go to the mailbox and you have a package! But I don't spend more than I have, and I'd never buy anything and put it on my credit card. I'm not being stupid about it. But I still find tons of enjoyment in collecting the cards.

My friends back home recently told me that they're starting to play Magic cards. And now I want those too. I collected the WoW cards for a while, and my mom informed me I also collected the American Girl Doll cards.

I don't really know what it is about them... I just love it. I think it allows me to be OCD and organized with something small and easy to control that I actually get enjoyment from. For those that know me really well, they realize that I love memories. I love talking about the time when we did this and it was fun. I don't go overboard, and am obviously open to making new memories. I don't live in the past...I just like remembering the past.

I think that's why I still find the cards so fun. I can still remember 6th grade and sitting on the playground, trading the cards with my friends etc. It also must be the same with the books, because when I pick up a book that I've had for a while, all the other times I've read it comes flooding back and it makes it that much more enjoyable the next time around.

Judge me if you'd like.

by **Verilian** on September 15th, 2011, 3:41 pm

Well you gotta horde books.. throwing those away is like.. sacrilegious or something. I mean.. if you had to get rid of some, sell them or give them away. Trashing books is almost as bad as killing kittens. You just don't do it. And you'd need a lot of pokemon cards to be as bad as those hoarders on tv, lol.

by **Aidara** on September 16th, 2011, 4:46 am

Lol... you never know. I could have a room or house completely filled with cards. It would be terrifying, but if that is a dare.... I'll do it, Ron, I'll do it!

by **Sairque** on September 16th, 2011, 2:54 pm

Just be glad h didn't askk for your Pokemon cards.By the way I have a ton of Magic crds and an entire bedroo at my dad's house full of books stacked as high as my head, never throw them out or 'trad' them in or whatevver. They're MINE. Oh, and I'm on my shiny new asus tablet with it's keyboard and it sucks pardon the typos.

I love you. I think you're my secret twin.

by **Taln** on September 16th, 2011, 3:43 pm

Hon, I know exactly what you mean! Between last night's ewww fest and my MIL in my house for a few months, you're having the same problem I am. I also think it's a Miza staff thing too. Not to mention, an everyone goes through it kinda thing! *hugs* Here's my awesome offering that explains the problem and solution all in one!

by **Aidara** on September 16th, 2011, 11:05 pm

Amanda- I think we are twins. It's creepy the things that we keep having/doing in common. I think we should settle for being fraternal twins, because I don't think we could convince many people we look alike; you're skinny as hell and I'm freckly. And don't worry. I will never throw out a book. Ever.

Lisa- *hugs* That was the best solution ever. Just be Batman! Why didn't I think of it before!

So today, I was surprised with a salon visit for my birthday (which is Sunday)! I decided to just get a trim, since I am trying to grow it nice and long. But since I have crazy frizzy and curly hair, it's always been a pain in the ass to grow it out... So... I also did the Keratin Smoothing Treatment!

I did a lot of research, and it is nothing like the Brizillan straightening treatments or any of those treatments that damage your hair. Those products take the bonds of your hair and break them, and then the next product re-forms the broken bond; That's also how perms are done. The treatment is applied, the bonds are broken and the hair is in curlers. The first treatment is washed out with the curlers in and then the second treatment is applied, and the bonds are reformed into the curls of the rollers. Same thing with the straghtning treatment, except...obviously it's straight.

This treatment just removes the frizz and actually helps heal damaged hair. My hair is going to be slightly less curly...but I'm okay with that! My hair was washed with a cleansing shampoo that removed all of the buildup that could be on my hair, and no conditioner. Then my hair was blow-dried and then the treatment was applied completely all over my head.

Then it was blow-dried again and straightened completely flat with a flatiron. Now I can't wash my hair for three days while the treatment sets and I have to try and keep my hair as flat as humanly possible. It looks kinda awful right now because it's so damn flat and lays straight against my head. But by Monday evening, we'll have a better result!

I plan on taking pictures over the next few days to document how everything changes. I'm so excited to see how this turns out! I'm usually so timid with my hair, since it's curly, so this is big for me!

This is my hair on a REALLY GOOD HAIR DAY :

During the 3 hour salon process :

The results so far :

by **Taln** on September 16th, 2011, 11:25 pm

I must hug you and empathize with your hair battle--looks great, btw! *hugs* Fighting with your hair is a brutal process! I have the opposite problem. I have baby fine hair that doesn't keep in even the tightest hair pin or barrette and it's so straight, my ears stick out of it's nasty orange/blond color. But within an hour of rain, snow or humidity, my hair does this staticky, flyaway, individual freak curls:

A half hour later, my hair was even more frizzy and it rained an hour later.

Is it a prerequisite to have freaky hair if there's even the slightest hint of red/orange?

by **Aidara** on September 16th, 2011, 11:28 pm

Awwwwwww you're so pretty! Don't even pretend that it's an ugly color. I wish I had red hair like that.

My hair isn't completely red, but shows up pretty damn red in the sunlight. I don't know if it's because it's extra reflective, or what? Sometimes my hair looks blonde, sometimes brown, sometimes red. It's really weird.

by **Sairque** on September 16th, 2011, 11:35 pm

Go ahead. I know you want to say it. Repeat after me:

I have rainbow hair.

Again:

I have Rainbow Hair.

Now:

IT'S SO FLUFFY I'M GONNA DIE!

Last:

My Ca'erpiller never turned into a bu'erfly

Fini

by **Aidara** on September 17th, 2011, 2:40 am

And just a little video to celebrate my hair getting Did.