roses are red, violets are blue

Ugh, I'm such a hopeless romantic/procrastinator it's disgusting. Instead of writing papers I explore blogs with wedding pictures and newly-bought houses and honeymoon ideas. What is wrong with me!? I'm meeting some kids in the library at 3 for a group presentation and I'm pretty sure I'm not going to have anything done because I'm such a slacker/creep. On the bright side I'm going with Brookie and Lauren downtown this evening because they both want their ears pierced, and apparently they consider me to be good at moral support. Maybe I'll surprise myself and get something pierced too. Nipples? Belly button? Tongue? Ahahahaha just kidding. Okay, back to work for now. (More like back to creeping on wedding blogs gaaah I'm hopeless.)

Sunshine

So it was finally sunny and warm today so I took advantage of the nice weather and sat outside and read a book for a while. It was weird looking at my arms; I'm pretty sure I haven't worn a t-shirt in about two months and I didn't even recognize my own limbs. I have some new freckles and I discovered a whitish scar that I can't remember the origin of. Anyways, it just makes me excited for summer and being able to wear short-sleeves more. I love being outside!

yesyesyesyesyes

Ah I'm so excited! Just got this e-mail from the Gaucho Online Data website. AKA the UCSB website that has all my scholarly info.

This is to inform you that with satisfactory completion of work currently in progress for Winter 2010, as of the date which this message was sent to you, you will complete the requirements for your undergraduate (Bachelor) degree.

In other words, I'm going to be done with college in 7 weeks! So crazy.

I was in the library for 6 hours tonight trying to write a paper. Then I tried to pay for my speeding ticket and do traffic school but the DMV website hates me and won't take my money. I relieved my stress by going to Chinos to celebrate Taco Tuesday with Ashley. ($2 beers yay!)

OOF

So I failed at taking pictures this weekend, my bad. However, I did have a blast back in good ol' Atown. Ate and drank too much of course, but ended up getting a lot of reading done for school and spent some quality time with the whole fam too. The next two weeks coming up are going to slay me, and sadly when my mom asked me if I was excited for my birthday in two weeks, I told her no, because I know I'm just going to be exhausted from the three papers, two midterms, and huge group presentation I have coming up. Oh well. I'll figure something out to make it exciting.

I'm drinking a glass of wine and reading Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent right now. I accidently looked up a synopsis of it before I went to class today and kinda spoiled the whole thing for myself, because it turns out that after about five boring chapters at the beginning of the book, things start to get really interesting. (i.e. explosions, murders, love affairs, etc.) Oh well.

Just talked to some friends about going to the Coachella Music Festival in April. It turns out this year you have to buy the whole three day pass instead of just being about to buy single day passes. Sounds kinda overwhelming but kinda worth it. My dad said it might turn into a mini-Woodstock, which I guess could be cool. Anyways looks like we're planning on packing the car up and camping there for the weekend.

On a side note, my bike chain fell off today when I was riding home from class, and of course it made me late for work. I left my bike locked up on campus and walked the rest of the way home because I suck at getting the chain back on and I hate standing on the side of the bike path looking like a loser as everyone rides by. That always sucks.

Oh and the title of my post today reminds me of the above picture. Taken in the MoMA in NYC, featuring the lovely MC and the simple yet brilliant painting by Mr. Edward Ruscha.

Honey, I'm hoooome.

So I'm in Atascadero, drinking a beer, watching How It's Made on the science channel with my sister and her hyphy boyfriend. We're going to sushi tonight with my parents which I'm pretty stoked about. I'm teaching my mom how to put songs on her iPod. Tomorrow we're going out to the old Pozo Saloon with a huge group of people to celebrate my Dad's bday. Gonna be an awesome weekend. Wooo. I'll take some pictures tomorrow to upload and mix things upppp. Peace out homies.

Rainstorm, take me away from the norm...

Nothing new here, it is still rain-storming like crazy. For the first time in my life I got woken up by thunder this morning. I thought the sky was falling down, and then I just lazed in bed for a while listening to the rain/wind. After I got up I could actually see lightening too, and at one point the thunder kinda gave me a heart attack. The poor cats were freaked and hid under Jessica's bed all morning.

I eventually slogged my way to class and then decided to go sit in the hot tub at the rec center with Jessica and Lauren. We were the only ones at the entire pool complex besides the poor lifeguards huddled in their office. We finally got warmed up and decided to jump in the super-heated pool which was really fun. Riding my bike home in the rain wasn't even an issue because I was already soaking wet. I didn't avoid any of the puddles, which made things really fun. Made some soup for lunch and then luckily the rain let up for a little bit when I had to ride back onto campus for my second class.

Now I'm home finishing up a novel for one of my classes tomorrow. It's called Life and Times of Michael K by J.M. Coetzee, who is this South African guy who writes about semi-non-fictional apartheid events. He won the Nobel Prize in 2003. Anyways I'm taking an entire class on him, he's pretty cool and even though his work is super depressing (it's basically all about torture) it's also really moving.

Anyways, that's about it. I'm going home this weekend for my Dad's 60th birthday, maybe I'll try to take some pictures?


PS-I've had the worst heartburn the last 3 days. I think I've been drinking too much wine and coffee and eating too much tomato soup and chocolate. Time to mix up my eating habits.

It's raining, it's pouring...

Yay! I love the rain! I'm so cozy right now, curled up on the couch with a mug of tea and a pad of paper and some pens/paints. My curtains are thrown open so I can see the rain hammering down on the roof. Jude is enthralled by the rain. He's sitting on the window sill staring at the stream of water dumping from the gutter. I'm thankful tomorrow is MLK day...I don't have to think about braving the puddles on my bike ride to class. Somehow I never managed to buy a pair of rainboots, even though they would be infinitely helpful and make my feet happy/dry. UCSB wasn't made for rain: puddles seem to accumulate in mile-long stretches, and they're quite deceiving too...sometimes I think I can get away with making a quick dash through one, and then it turns out to be about two feet deep and suddenly I'm soaked up to my knees. Oh well, at least it makes life exciting. I just feel happy happy happy.

Listening to: pitterpatterdripdripdroppitydrip

ugh.

Lame night. I'm annoyed.

vino

Wine night with my favorite housemate Jessica. Everyone else is going out tonight but we're just gonna take it easy and schmooze and watch SNL skits. Wow sounds exciting. Won't be up too late because I'm swimming in the morning. I'm excited!

Today was pretty relaxed, just went to my classes and bought a ton of books. I'm already behind on reading and it's only the 3rd day of school. How is that possible?

[EDIT] I ended up watching the movie Heights (here's the link to the trailer). It was so intense. I've been contemplating moving to New York City for a while now, but the movie just made me want to move there so much more. There is no "happy" ending or real resolution to the movie, but ahh it literally just makes my heart ache thinking about living in New York.

After that I just stayed up talking about my past and high school and tragic stories, and it made me sad to think about lost lives. At the same time it really made me thankful for my friends and what I have going for me in my life right now. I like looking at my future and having no idea what is in store. It makes me excited and anxious and motivated to be successful. Maybe I've had too much wine but I'm just happy and positive and even though I was thinking about how I have to write at least four 15-page papers this quarter, I'm not disappointed or even pessimistic. I just know I'll get past them and my future will always hold something new and different.

I want everyone to feel this way. I guess I'm lucky that I've always been able to get through things. Even though sometimes I may not be especially positive, I've always known that I'll survive and create something worthwhile. Ahhhh okay, for realzzzzz I'm going to bed right now! I'm going to kick some butt in the pool tomorrow, can't wait to dominate! I love life. Haha I'm so cheesy.

painting

I'm gonna go buy some water color paints today. I'm feeling artsy/experimental. Last night I went to my friend Ashley's house and she was painting faces on her dresser drawers. It inspired me to be more creative.

Just got done with my swimming class. My coach seems like he's going to be awesome and I'm actually excited to exercise!

I don't have class until 12:30 and there is a marathon of Cash Cab on so I'm pretty sure I'm posting up on the couch until about 12:23. Nothing else too exciting going on. Hope you're all doing well.

Whoa

Just realized it's been exactly a year since I arrived in France. My flight to Paris felt like it took days, and then this kindly young French man helped me all the way from Charles de Gaulle airport to the Gare Montparnasse (main train station in Paris). It was freakishly cold and snowing and I was terrified I was going to miss my train! I finally made it to Bordeaux and met my host family and had such great adventures. Can't believe it's been a year!!

video+blog=vlog

So this is kinda my attempt at vlogging. I tried just talking to the camera but it got boring really fast, so I thought a time-lapse of me cleaning my room was cooler.

Today was my last first day of school/college! Crazy to think about. I was thinking someone should have taken a picture of me with my backpack in front of my house like my mom used to do on the first day of school. Oh well. I'm going to celebrate by eating some In 'n Out and drinking some wine. I signed up for an intermediate swimming class, and the first session is tomorrow morning at 9. We'll see how it goes, I'm definitely a little rusty but hopefully I'll be fine. I'll keep you updated on everything that unfolds this week!




Listening to: Broken Horse by Freelance Whales

2010

Dang, I suck at this. But it's a new year, and I'm determined to keep this up! At least three posts a week. Think I can do it?

So it's 2010. There is a lot in store for me in the upcoming months. I start my last quarter of college in two days. I will celebrate my 22nd birthday in February. And I'm finishing up school on March 20! After that, I'm hoping to find an internship in the Santa Barbara/LA area to keep me busy for the next few months (March-June).

After graduation in June, I have no idea where I'm headed. I'm hoping to find some sort of job/internship/editing gig. I have been perusing Craigslist job offerings in NYC and San Diego. It makes me excited but I'm nervous at the same time. I could technically move anywhere in the world, nothing is holding me back! Except the lack of a job...

Anyways, on to more exciting things. Spent the holidays with my family, and then was back to Isla Vista to ring in the new year with my closest friends. Went on a couple hikes and saw Avatar and Sherlock Holmes. The weather in Santa Barbara has been awesome, it makes me excited for spring/summer.

New Years resolutions?
-go on a hike a week
-swim
-run on the beach
-keep up this dang blog!
-paint/draw more

Not too exciting I guess. Talk to you soon.


Listening to: Silence. (Seriously. It's 2:30 am. No one else is awake. I kinda like it.)