Messages in the Sand

I had a nice Thanksgiving. The nice thing about it was that we had no schedule. We did what we wanted to when wanted to. We got listen to the ocean and dip our toes in. It was so relaxing.

This is what we woke up to on Thanksgiving morning. I rolled out of bed, went out onto the balcony and some kids had written Happy Thanksgiving in the sand. Can it get any better?

Happy Turkey Day!

At least I have tonight to hang out with friends that came home for Thanksgiving vacation! I'm excited to see everyone that I have missed (and those I haven't too, ha ha).
Goin' to Myrtle Beach in the morn. We should be going somewhere warm, but there's no reasoning with my parents. Who goes to the beach when it's likely to snow there? Hopefully I'll get seashells and it won't be too bitterly cold to go golfing. I probably won't have access to a computer to blog, unless there is one in the hotel; so adios and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Harlem

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore -
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over -
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

- Langston Hughes, 1951

Hike and Good Company

This afternoon a group of us from the honors program went on a hike. We had a nice time even though it was really cold. The view was spectacular from the top of the mountain; quite nice.
Tonight my brother-in-law (Tony) and his friend Pablo came over to hang out. They were telling us about the conference they had gone to and also about the human flesh (Body Worlds) display in Philly that stirs so many heated debates. I think it is awesome that they use the cadavers for the common people to appreciate. It's not like they killed the people to inflate their veins with plastic, they probably just donated their bodies to science after they died. Who cares what happens to your body after you are no longer in it?
Anyway, then my dad made poor Pablo sing and play his guitar for us which was absolutely wonderful. He played us some songs that he had composed himself.

The color of Thanksgiving

I have redecorated this site in honor of Thanksgiving, hence the corn, turkey, and earthy tones. I spent the past 5 hours doing it, so you had better appreciate it. I could have been doing something useful with my life, but no, I wasted it on changing the colors of my blog. And the sad thing? I actually feel as if it was time well spent. I had much more fun doing this, than say writing a paper or finishing a real assignment.

Creepy IM

I am in the computer lab right now. I got a strange IM that was like, I see you. I looked around the room, no one that i knew. The reply comes, I'm watching you. I canvas the room again, but no one. Now I'm starting to get freaked. I look around again and BAM, I saw them...

No, really it just turned out to be Katey in the glass room beside the computer lab. Shame on you Katey, for freaking me out. Then her prof thought she was crazy for laughing out loud when no one was around, and the people sitting near me think I am crazy for laughing at the computer screen and pointing at someone through the glass. Wow, that was strange.

Dracula

Tonight Dr. Kungl and I held a book discussion on Bram Stoker's Dracula. I think it went well, a good number of people showed up and the discussion was interesting. I never thought I would be the type of person who would like a book such as Dracula, but I think it is deeper than the stigmatized pop culture version of it. There was more than fish net stockings and sharp blood sucking teeth. Actually, the women in the story were portrayed more as innocent virgin type beings rather than the sexualized vampiresses we associate with Dracula today. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Stoker doesn't objectify women in the novel, but at least it doesn't make you feel dirty after reading it, as I'm sure some the movies based on it would.

Glow in the Dark Pork Chops

I found this story to be intriguing,

"Australians have been told there is no need to panic after a recent "glow-in-the-dark pork chop" scare.
A caller to a Sydney radio talk show sparked fears of radioactive contamination in the meat supply.
The New South Wales Food Authority said the glow was caused by the harmless pseudomonas fluorescens bacteria.
Food authority head George Davey said he understood people would be "shocked" to see their meat glowing in the fridge but said the bacteria were safe. "

I don't think I'd eat glowing meat, even it is 'safe'. That is just disturbing.

The Notebook

So I felt sick all day again today but I bore through it and actually went to class only to find each and every one of my classes today were canceled. After dragging myself in to the university, I was ready to learn! Now I'm just hostile.

Tonight I went over to my sister's house for dinner and a movie. Tara cooked stuffed shells, yum, and we watched the Notebook. Boooo, the ending was sad. What is with that? When you need a pick up, you always get a push down. Depressing things are not what I need right now.

Nauseous

Blah, I felt so sick today at school. You have never really puked until you have puked in one of the toilets in a public restroom. Luckily no one came in while I was spilling my guts. It was strange, the sickness hit me all of the sudden. I am feeling generally better, but still nauseated.

I learned something new today while looking up how to spell nauseous. I'll pass the enlightenment on to you:
The word nauseous is properly used only to mean “causing nausea,” and it is incorrect to use it to mean “affected with nausea,” as in Roller coasters make me nauseous. In this example, nauseated is preferred. Nauseous is widely used to mean “feeling sick,” it appears that people use nauseous mainly in the sense in which it is considered incorrect. In its “correct” sense it is being supplanted by nauseating.

Mini Golf and Softball

Yesterday afternoon was a prime time for being outside at the Links. Emily and I played mini golf and hit some softballs at the batting cages. It was a good time even though Em did win; I'm telling you, the back nine always kills me.


Sexy batting helmet you say? Bah ha ha Emily.

Today I spent all freakin day at a quiz in Highspire. I got hardly any of the work done that I planned to this weekend. But what's new?

Happy Birthday to me

Yesterday at Jazzman's Emily and Tami gave me lovely birthday presents. Awwww, isn't that sweet? It made me happy.

Then at night my family and I went out for Chinese food and then had ice cream birthday cake. MMMMMMM

The other pic is my mom not wanting to get her picture taken. Ah ha ha, I love it, it is just too perfect.

Phillipine Madrigal Singers

The Phillipine Madrigal Sigers came to Ship on Tuesday night, so we all went to hear them. I thought the concert was great. They sang a cappella in a bunch of different languages; very unique.
Then Wed. I went to a poetry reading by Michael Ryan. He is a famous poet, and he read us some of his selections. I personally enjoyed "Airplane Food." Too bad none of my friends share my interest in poetry. We pay activity fees anyway, so if you've already paid for these special speakers to come why wouldn't you go, irregardless of whether you get extra credit or not?

Empire State Building & MoMa

Forever, again, and I have not posted. This week has been double trouble, super dooper busy. I still will continue on with NY details that I haven't given yet. I will neglect to tell you about my week becasue there is so much that I wouldn't even know where to begin.

So in NY, we went up the Empire State Building and the view was spectacular 86 floor up! (even devoid of fog) While there we also did a simulated skyline tour of the city in one of those rollar coaster like seats that jerk you around in front of an Imax screen. That was interesting.

Probably my favorite part; we visited MoMa (Museum of Modern Art) and I was utterly shocked at how many masterpieces that museum houses. There are countless Picasso's; paintings by Mondrian, Van Gogh, Chagal, Warhal, and every other great modern artist there is. Please excuse my spelling, I'm too lazy to look them up.


We at two different nice little restaurants in Manhattan. The one we at in the second night offered us their special so I decided to be adventerous and order the quail. (I suppose I have a fascination with strange meats) Perhaps I should have asked the price first. I ended up eating 30 bucks worth of a tiny strange little bird that actually just tasted like chicken.

Today my visa came in the mail, so the NY trip was indeed successful. Whoopi.

Bad Birthday

Sigh, this is one of the worst birthdays ever. As I was driving into school today a police officer pulled me over because my inspection was past due. Then as he was handing me my citation he was like "oh, and happy birtday" as if you would say it sarcastically. He probably read it on my license and felt guilty for pulling me over. Sigh, and then I was late for class too. I don't like birthday's anymore, they used to be fun, and it meant I got presents. Now they just mean I am getting old. Once you hit 20 your life just goes downhill. Sigh

NYC revisited

Back from a great time in New York City, I have lots to tell you about our trip, so I will break it into more than one entry.



These are some street and building photos, day and night. Plus there is one of the billboard of Beauty and the Beast which we saw on Broadway. It was great, I really liked the candle guy, he was the best character. I think we picked the right show to see. We knew the story and the stage effects were excellent. We waited in line at the TCKTS booth Saturday morning to get the tickets. Street performers entertained us with music while we waited. We had a blast, I'll fill you in on more later.

Blue Streak

So I had an art class today and we are doing painting. Apparently I swiped my face with paint brush, because i had a fairly large streak of blue paint down the side of my face. That class lasted three hours, plus I had 2 tutoring session afterwards. Can you really mean to tell me that none of the 15 people in the class, none of the tutors, secretaries, tutees, or random people on the sidewalk would say "hey, you got blue paint on your face?" I have been walking around like an idiot for 5 hours and no one said a word. Not even a hand motion to indicate there's a big strange blue mark on your face. Did they think I put it there on purpose? That I enjoy the look of a blue stripe because it brings out my eyes? Jeepers people, can't you help a girl out?

Yay, off to the Big Apple in... 7 hours. So excited

Ahhhh

I have literally spent the past 9 staight hours of my life drawing. I have 33 sketchbook drawings due tommorrow morning so I have been working since 7:00PM to get them done. I even started working on the assignment this past long weekend, and it still came down to me wanting rip my hair out by the end. There is no winning when it comes to this kind of stuff. Being a perfectionist is a plague, and I'm not even an obsessive perfectionist. I would say my disease, as we'll call it, is mild.