12/08/2002 - 7:07 p.m.

Can you imagine us years from today?

Today is my half birthday. I am 18 and one half today. I remembered. No one else did. I've only been celebrating my half birthday for three years now, but it's still mine and I like to celebrate it. Nothing else happens in August- just the State Fair. August and April have no National Holidays, and that's rather a pity, isn't it? (Or wait, is mother's day in April?) So, to break up the monotony, there's my half birthday, if anyone would remember. Not that it's really important to me or anything.

It's six months until I turn 19. Maybe I should stop the celebrations.

I got a 2, 3, and a 4 on my AP tests. I'm just not saying which tests match up with which scores. If you know me, though, it's pretty easy to guess which are which, I guess.

I got this fantastic Herman Melville book the other day. I have never had the time to read Moby Dick, but White Jacket can easily be read in snippets, unless I'm missing loads of symbolism. It's about life on a man-of-war in the American Navy in the late 1800's. I'm a fifth of the way through the book at the moment, so I'll let you all know how it goes.

Why, when authors are talking to us do they refer to us as "gentle readers"? It seems to point more towards our being kind about critising their work, and then oughtn't they say "gentle critic"? Why not "intelligent reader" or "worthy reader"? I think I like worthy reader the best, that way you're complimenting them.

No, in spite of just what everyone said all summer, I am not on crack.

I got FOTR the other day. Very very excited about that. Watched it last night. It's not as scary on a small screen, but that's OK. I think maybe I'll try to get a computer with a DVD player and then I can have the extended version when it comes out in November. Slightly a dirty trick, but that's all right.

128 days until The Two Towers comes out.