Wednesday, May 31, 2006
A true dork
Tomorrow is June 1st and you all know what that means...Rabbit Rabbit! Just in case you haven't heard my nonsense with this or don't know, "Rabbit Rabbit" is supposed to be your first words on the first of the month to bring you good luck for the month. I used to do it with my campers, and well I am not one to believe in superstitions, but it is just a fun thing I do. I almost always forget, and usually try to do it at 12 am since I am up, but if I miss that one then I try it to be the my first words when I rise in the morning. Give it a shot, perhaps your month of June will be spectacular and you have nothing to lose!
The post formerly known as Post
There are really two things worth posting: pictures and funny stories. Well guess what. I ain't got neither. What I do have is a lunch break and no car so this is what you get, my faithful friends.
On one of the first days I mentioned I had a girlfriend back home. To this my coworker quipped "Well, she's got nothing to worry about, it's an 8 to 1 ratio here."
And she was telling the truth. Ladies who complain about the lack of guys at Conn, Vail is the place for you (well, if you like the talk-like-they're-from-Cali-but-look-like-Robin-Williams-in-Jumanji type). I guess it's my payback for the ratio at Conn. Allow me to explain.
40/60 = 1 / 1.5, but if you count every year as additively advantageous to men then the ratio translates to 1/6, then compensating for my time spent being about a third of a school year including winter break we need to multiply the denominator by 1.333 which gives us rougly 1/8
Now that you've accepted my bogus math, I just everyone to enjoy their summers as best as possible and tell Kim to jump ship and rollerblade on up here.
On one of the first days I mentioned I had a girlfriend back home. To this my coworker quipped "Well, she's got nothing to worry about, it's an 8 to 1 ratio here."
And she was telling the truth. Ladies who complain about the lack of guys at Conn, Vail is the place for you (well, if you like the talk-like-they're-from-Cali-but-look-like-Robin-Williams-in-Jumanji type). I guess it's my payback for the ratio at Conn. Allow me to explain.
40/60 = 1 / 1.5, but if you count every year as additively advantageous to men then the ratio translates to 1/6, then compensating for my time spent being about a third of a school year including winter break we need to multiply the denominator by 1.333 which gives us rougly 1/8
Now that you've accepted my bogus math, I just everyone to enjoy their summers as best as possible and tell Kim to jump ship and rollerblade on up here.
Miss Rumphius
So I figure it is about time to post something...
I just spent the long weekend on the Vineyard with Amanda and her family. It was great; we spent the days playing Rummy 500, reading a ton, lounging around, going to the beach, playing frisbee, and enjoying the sun.
It was there, with the help of Amanda, that I realized that I am officially done with Orgo. And it may seem silly to most of you, but it is truly an amazing feeling. I really hope to spend more time with all of you next year, for after a year like this past one I think it is really important for me to be having fun with you all instead of with my books. I give you all permission to get on my case if I am not socializing enough and remind me that it is senior year.
Despite my realization and it setting in that I am done with junior year, I have had 2 nightmare esque dreams where I either have to pull an allnighter to write a paper or only have 2 hours to write an 8 pager. They are always really intense, but each time I rationalize that there is no possible way that they can be real. I've had some other random/weird dreams, and apparently I talked in my sleep when I was on the vineyard--Jess don't you miss those days?
I can't remember my 4-digit ATM pin # (I haven't used it since December), and I am rather appalled at myself, I mean me and not remembering?!?! And numbers no less!!! It is out of control, and obviously I have been racking my brain for it. I am convinced that something orgo related must have pushed it out of my brain and thus replaced it. So I should go call the 1-800 number.
Oh, but before I go, I should tell you all that I am moving down to Yale's Med. School Dorm this Friday, though I won't officially be living there until next Wednesday, but anyone of you are welcome to come and visit. I have no idea what the size of my room will be like, but I know that I can offer you a nice glass of refreshing tap water, cause I will have a sink in my room! I'll be working mostly a Tuesday-Saturday week, but I can get off a Friday off if anything exciting is going on.
Glad to see the blog is ever so popular and you all seem to be having a great start to your summers!
Much love, Rach
p.s.-If you don't recongize the title of this post, it is a children's book which I am sure you all would know if you saw it, where Miss Rumphius travels the world, lives by the sea in her old age and plants Lupines to make the world a better place--it is one of my favorties.
p.p.s- Other things I have been up to include, but are not limited to: going into new york city twice in a 3 day span, getting lost on Cape Code and thus going around way too many gosh darn rotaries, setting off my house alarm and having to deal with the cops, seeing high school friends, and of course getting back into my RENT craze.
I just spent the long weekend on the Vineyard with Amanda and her family. It was great; we spent the days playing Rummy 500, reading a ton, lounging around, going to the beach, playing frisbee, and enjoying the sun.
It was there, with the help of Amanda, that I realized that I am officially done with Orgo. And it may seem silly to most of you, but it is truly an amazing feeling. I really hope to spend more time with all of you next year, for after a year like this past one I think it is really important for me to be having fun with you all instead of with my books. I give you all permission to get on my case if I am not socializing enough and remind me that it is senior year.
Despite my realization and it setting in that I am done with junior year, I have had 2 nightmare esque dreams where I either have to pull an allnighter to write a paper or only have 2 hours to write an 8 pager. They are always really intense, but each time I rationalize that there is no possible way that they can be real. I've had some other random/weird dreams, and apparently I talked in my sleep when I was on the vineyard--Jess don't you miss those days?
I can't remember my 4-digit ATM pin # (I haven't used it since December), and I am rather appalled at myself, I mean me and not remembering?!?! And numbers no less!!! It is out of control, and obviously I have been racking my brain for it. I am convinced that something orgo related must have pushed it out of my brain and thus replaced it. So I should go call the 1-800 number.
Oh, but before I go, I should tell you all that I am moving down to Yale's Med. School Dorm this Friday, though I won't officially be living there until next Wednesday, but anyone of you are welcome to come and visit. I have no idea what the size of my room will be like, but I know that I can offer you a nice glass of refreshing tap water, cause I will have a sink in my room! I'll be working mostly a Tuesday-Saturday week, but I can get off a Friday off if anything exciting is going on.
Glad to see the blog is ever so popular and you all seem to be having a great start to your summers!
Much love, Rach
p.s.-If you don't recongize the title of this post, it is a children's book which I am sure you all would know if you saw it, where Miss Rumphius travels the world, lives by the sea in her old age and plants Lupines to make the world a better place--it is one of my favorties.
p.p.s- Other things I have been up to include, but are not limited to: going into new york city twice in a 3 day span, getting lost on Cape Code and thus going around way too many gosh darn rotaries, setting off my house alarm and having to deal with the cops, seeing high school friends, and of course getting back into my RENT craze.
So an american walks into a bar...
so a fair amount has been going on here. I went to Florence this past weekend which was AMAZING and i want to go back again at somepoint. We climbed up to the top of the cathedral which was so cool and the view of the countryside was amazing. We also went to the Uffizi, the museum, and i got to see so much renaissance art. I could go on and on about it but instead i rather tell you all a little story about seven american girls in a italian bar.
Last thursday, my roommates, some other conn girls, and i went to this bar called Merlins. We get there and we find out that its one of their "special nights" which means you are given a number that you wear and then you can write notes to other people in the bar according to their number. What this basically translates to is sketchy older italian men hitting on american girls. So at first it was not bad and we were having fun just talking and then i of course get the first note. Luckily it was nothing bad, just saying "your are beautiful" in italian. But then i started getting more from other men but no one else at the table was getting any notes. And they were not nice notes. They said "i want you for the entire night", "i want to have sex with you", "all day i dream about sex...with you" and on and on. The entire time i could feel men leering at me and basically undressing me with their eyes. One girl at our table got a note in italian that said something about wanting to lick her. I got to two roses out of the whole experience though . When we started to leave, because i felt so uncomfortable, the men began to yell at me in italian "come back beautiful, we wnat you, we want you." i couldnt run out of their sooner. So in conclusion, i hate italian men. There have been other occassions, acutally every single day, that men on the street shout at me and my roommates vulgar things as well as terrible pick up lines. Oh! and yesterday some guy in a car waiting at a light, rolled down his window and took a picture of all of us!! wtf?!?! all this makes me very grateful that i have Chris..a wonderful guy through and through. Italian men=assholes. Other than feeling like a piece of meat everywhere i walk, things are great. I take my test for placement in the university for foreigners tomorrow which im nervous about though i know ill do fine. i get along with all my roommates, though we are a little divided in the sense that two of them make dinner for themselves and dont include me, megan and alex though the three of us always include them. Its tricky at the moment but what can ya do. So until later, ciao!
Last thursday, my roommates, some other conn girls, and i went to this bar called Merlins. We get there and we find out that its one of their "special nights" which means you are given a number that you wear and then you can write notes to other people in the bar according to their number. What this basically translates to is sketchy older italian men hitting on american girls. So at first it was not bad and we were having fun just talking and then i of course get the first note. Luckily it was nothing bad, just saying "your are beautiful" in italian. But then i started getting more from other men but no one else at the table was getting any notes. And they were not nice notes. They said "i want you for the entire night", "i want to have sex with you", "all day i dream about sex...with you" and on and on. The entire time i could feel men leering at me and basically undressing me with their eyes. One girl at our table got a note in italian that said something about wanting to lick her. I got to two roses out of the whole experience though . When we started to leave, because i felt so uncomfortable, the men began to yell at me in italian "come back beautiful, we wnat you, we want you." i couldnt run out of their sooner. So in conclusion, i hate italian men. There have been other occassions, acutally every single day, that men on the street shout at me and my roommates vulgar things as well as terrible pick up lines. Oh! and yesterday some guy in a car waiting at a light, rolled down his window and took a picture of all of us!! wtf?!?! all this makes me very grateful that i have Chris..a wonderful guy through and through. Italian men=assholes. Other than feeling like a piece of meat everywhere i walk, things are great. I take my test for placement in the university for foreigners tomorrow which im nervous about though i know ill do fine. i get along with all my roommates, though we are a little divided in the sense that two of them make dinner for themselves and dont include me, megan and alex though the three of us always include them. Its tricky at the moment but what can ya do. So until later, ciao!
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
You wanna talk about a summer
Now this is a summer. Imagine yourself getting paid to play with dolphins cuz you know thats what I'm doing right now. Actually I'm on a dinner break, weird working hours and dont worry I will have internet in my house tomorrow some time. This place is awesome! We have 12 bottlenose dolphins between the ages of 53 years and ~4 days old. Yes, we just hand a baby and there's another due sometime in December. The people here are great and the weather is beautiful. Its so hard to explain what this is like but if you have the chance you should just come and see for yourself. Anyway I gotta go do observations on the baby and count how many times he breathes and how long nurses each time. I will be in touch and pictures are on the way soon. Hope all your summers going smoothly!!!
-Justin
ps-if you havent already just check out the website to get an idea, its marineland.net
-Justin
ps-if you havent already just check out the website to get an idea, its marineland.net
It's been a great start to the summer
So right now I'm up at Conn and loving it. I've been here since yesterday hanging out with Iwi. Today Alice called me from New London, not even knowing I was here, so I spent the day at the beach with her which was AMAZING. Last night my cousin from Boston came down for dinner and her and Iwi and I drove down to the beach and just walked around. Really nice. Last week was fun too. I saw Amanda twice, and we went shopping, and I am now the proud owner of my first couple pairs of jeans since 8th GRADE. It's weird to wear them again, but I'm lovin' it. What an exciting life I lead...So yeah, everything has just been really chill and nice. Tomorrow Amanda and Rose come up, and then it's alumni reunion weekend, which should be a lot of fun. That's all for now. It's weird being here without all of you, I miss you muchly...
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Back to Spain
Hello All!
I'm so glad to hear about people's summers and all -- glad the blog is revived and kicking.
I've been in Madrid for about a week now, but at last, my summer is really starting. I'm all moved into my dorm/flat/whatever you can call it. I've got the occassional wireless signal here in my room, so we'll see how the next few months go keeping in touch. Overall the apt. is cute, definately euro-sized. The kids i've met thus far a cool, a good mix of americans, spanish and others. The kitchen's a little shady...in terms of dishes and the fridge (meaning, people don't generally clean their shit). But the location is absolutely sweet. I'm right in down town madrid on one of the main streets, right near a metro stop. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.
My first day (wed. 24) finally saw alex, everything went really well, it' s awesome that we're so much closer, although it's still a 2hr train ride to see him, but being in the same time zones a big plus. Thursday he went back down to Sevilla. My friend Paco is here until June 1 (he's a friend from my semester in Sevilla), so we've been having crazy late night adventures running around Madrid til rediculous late.
For my first few days i was staying with my host family, everybody's great. The kids are always super cute, and i'm so lucky to have them really close by (like 45 min. via public transportation).
So, now i'm here in my room, and is nice b/c i've got my own (but small) space. And tomorrow i start work. Crazy that i'm already getting into the swing of things, but i'm so looking forward to it/nervous/excited/whatever else. I can't believe this is already happening here and now, i feel too old doing this because i've been planning this summer since ... what? freshman year or something.
Good luck to all who are off on their interning adventures, and to those who've already started theirs,
Miss you's guys!
e
I'm so glad to hear about people's summers and all -- glad the blog is revived and kicking.
I've been in Madrid for about a week now, but at last, my summer is really starting. I'm all moved into my dorm/flat/whatever you can call it. I've got the occassional wireless signal here in my room, so we'll see how the next few months go keeping in touch. Overall the apt. is cute, definately euro-sized. The kids i've met thus far a cool, a good mix of americans, spanish and others. The kitchen's a little shady...in terms of dishes and the fridge (meaning, people don't generally clean their shit). But the location is absolutely sweet. I'm right in down town madrid on one of the main streets, right near a metro stop. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.
My first day (wed. 24) finally saw alex, everything went really well, it' s awesome that we're so much closer, although it's still a 2hr train ride to see him, but being in the same time zones a big plus. Thursday he went back down to Sevilla. My friend Paco is here until June 1 (he's a friend from my semester in Sevilla), so we've been having crazy late night adventures running around Madrid til rediculous late.
For my first few days i was staying with my host family, everybody's great. The kids are always super cute, and i'm so lucky to have them really close by (like 45 min. via public transportation).
So, now i'm here in my room, and is nice b/c i've got my own (but small) space. And tomorrow i start work. Crazy that i'm already getting into the swing of things, but i'm so looking forward to it/nervous/excited/whatever else. I can't believe this is already happening here and now, i feel too old doing this because i've been planning this summer since ... what? freshman year or something.
Good luck to all who are off on their interning adventures, and to those who've already started theirs,
Miss you's guys!
e
dear anyone who is gonna be at conn this week:
hey, so i know i said i was gonna go down to conn soon when you all are there and to visit iwi and cause kim might be in new london......... but i don't know if i'm going to be able to afford it. just putting that out there because i'm kind of pissed off about it. although since zach said he wanted to come, if he does then i might be able to because he'll be helping me pay for gas.
okay so anyway since i last posted not much has changed. i've hung out with some of my home friends and that's fun. i also hung out with zach for a night. tomorrow is a big family bbq which should be fun. i got the job at the post office but i don't start until the 26th of june. i also have to go to jury selection on june 5th. so that's weird.
other than that nothing exciting is happening.
i just want to point out that i got home on monday and i still haven't unpacked!
love,
alli
okay so anyway since i last posted not much has changed. i've hung out with some of my home friends and that's fun. i also hung out with zach for a night. tomorrow is a big family bbq which should be fun. i got the job at the post office but i don't start until the 26th of june. i also have to go to jury selection on june 5th. so that's weird.
other than that nothing exciting is happening.
i just want to point out that i got home on monday and i still haven't unpacked!
love,
alli
Friday, May 26, 2006
I got a couple minutes here before my bus comes so I'll lay it out for y'all as best I can. Vail is beautiful but deserted, which means Plum TV has no viewers, which means its all reruns, which means its absolutely rediculous that I'm out here right now instead of no-boneing it Amanda-style. Predicitons: New Zealand style, I bet it starts getting real fun just about the time I have to leave. Boo.
On the bright side (I guess) I'm going to be working my butt off and probably more than doubling my experience with the whole video thing.
Sorry a couple distractions came up and now I gotta catch the bus. No internet for me expect work (even the library is closed!) so I'll be pretty irregual but its great to hear everyones stories
On the bright side (I guess) I'm going to be working my butt off and probably more than doubling my experience with the whole video thing.
Sorry a couple distractions came up and now I gotta catch the bus. No internet for me expect work (even the library is closed!) so I'll be pretty irregual but its great to hear everyones stories
Me, Myself, and A Little Gray Cat
The plan was to go to Mexico for two weeks. To film and take photographs and explore a country I'd never been to, full of new people and new customs, other lives and other views. But the best laid plans often go awry. And they did. So to make a long story short, the trip isn't happening, so long sunshine and spanish and my oft dreamed of senior CAT project.
But things have a way of working out, and to be quite honest, I'm not half as disappointed as I probably should be. It's like I knew Mexico was a dream, and never really believed that it would happen. But for me, anyway, trips always feel like that, even when I'm on the plane or in the boat or walking on foreign soil. It takes a while to settle into my bones.
What this all means is that I will be starting work earlier, June 5th, to be exact. Work is at a small, Boston based company run by Kate Raisz, a spanish-speaking, documentary film-making wonder of a woman. Words cannot possibly express how excited I am.
In the meanwhile, I've been studying under that great sage know simply as Willow. This involves much lying in the sun and pretending not to have bones. I've spent pretty much every day emulating felines, curled up on the couch with a book and a cat, luxuriating in the freedom that comes with having absolutely nothing to do. Let's hear it for reading six books in a row. It's what I need right now. Time to be by myself and think.
We are leaving for the Vineyard today, where I hope to break out of this admittedly enjoyable placidness that has taken over my life and bring back some sun-induced craziness. I'll be there for the whole week, through next weekend, and please regard this as a standing invitation to anyone who wants to come and visit for a while. It's lovely this time of year.
Wishing you all the best,
Amanda
But things have a way of working out, and to be quite honest, I'm not half as disappointed as I probably should be. It's like I knew Mexico was a dream, and never really believed that it would happen. But for me, anyway, trips always feel like that, even when I'm on the plane or in the boat or walking on foreign soil. It takes a while to settle into my bones.
What this all means is that I will be starting work earlier, June 5th, to be exact. Work is at a small, Boston based company run by Kate Raisz, a spanish-speaking, documentary film-making wonder of a woman. Words cannot possibly express how excited I am.
In the meanwhile, I've been studying under that great sage know simply as Willow. This involves much lying in the sun and pretending not to have bones. I've spent pretty much every day emulating felines, curled up on the couch with a book and a cat, luxuriating in the freedom that comes with having absolutely nothing to do. Let's hear it for reading six books in a row. It's what I need right now. Time to be by myself and think.
We are leaving for the Vineyard today, where I hope to break out of this admittedly enjoyable placidness that has taken over my life and bring back some sun-induced craziness. I'll be there for the whole week, through next weekend, and please regard this as a standing invitation to anyone who wants to come and visit for a while. It's lovely this time of year.
Wishing you all the best,
Amanda
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Oh, what a night!
So, if I think I'm getting paid too much for babysitting, do I tell them I think it's too much money, or do I just enjoy the fact that I'm finally putting some money back in my bank account? This is the moral battle I've been having with myself. Fortunately, that's the only problem in my life right now. Otherwise, it's been smooth sailing. It's felt like everything has been going very nicely lately.
On Tuesday, Rachel and I headed into the city to see "Jersey Boys," which was wonderful. I love shows that have music that I already know, because I get that much more excited to hear the music - I practically wanted to get up and sing with them! The cast was awesome and the show was put together really nicely. We had a lot of fun! It was a good chance for me to get used to the subway system and new areas of New York, too. I'm so used to being a "city girl" in London, but New York is a completely different place and it's nice to see that I can bring that part of my personality in but still need to learn new things. I feel like I fit in really well in New York, and despite that my internship will be in Times Square this summer, I hope to explore many more areas. I have a feeling I'll be living there at some point soon after college, so now's a good time to get used to it!
Tonight I played hostess for a rich people party. It was at this estate (literally) that my mom's selling (she's a real estate broker), and the decorator she hired is HELL and decided to throw a party there. My mom had to do damage control and try to tone it all down, so I had to work the front door and hand out pricing packets for all the expensive furniture the decorator had temporarily furnished the house with. There were things for like $40,000 on there. The people were ridiculous, showing up in their rich people cars and trying to show each other up with the latest fashions, eating ridiculous mini-foods made by some caterer, sipping champagne and discussing either the latest gossip about you-know-who and the tennis pro, or the prices of the objects and how they compared to the sculptures in their houses. My mom felt bad for me, though, so I got a few glasses of nice champagne out of it. I spent the whole time planning how I was going to take this evening and turn it into a scene in a movie someday.
Anyway, I suppose that's all that's really going on here. I'm pretty bored at home and I miss you guys a lot! I can't WAIT for my job to start. I hope you're all doing well! And update! I check more often than I should probably be admitting.
On Tuesday, Rachel and I headed into the city to see "Jersey Boys," which was wonderful. I love shows that have music that I already know, because I get that much more excited to hear the music - I practically wanted to get up and sing with them! The cast was awesome and the show was put together really nicely. We had a lot of fun! It was a good chance for me to get used to the subway system and new areas of New York, too. I'm so used to being a "city girl" in London, but New York is a completely different place and it's nice to see that I can bring that part of my personality in but still need to learn new things. I feel like I fit in really well in New York, and despite that my internship will be in Times Square this summer, I hope to explore many more areas. I have a feeling I'll be living there at some point soon after college, so now's a good time to get used to it!
Tonight I played hostess for a rich people party. It was at this estate (literally) that my mom's selling (she's a real estate broker), and the decorator she hired is HELL and decided to throw a party there. My mom had to do damage control and try to tone it all down, so I had to work the front door and hand out pricing packets for all the expensive furniture the decorator had temporarily furnished the house with. There were things for like $40,000 on there. The people were ridiculous, showing up in their rich people cars and trying to show each other up with the latest fashions, eating ridiculous mini-foods made by some caterer, sipping champagne and discussing either the latest gossip about you-know-who and the tennis pro, or the prices of the objects and how they compared to the sculptures in their houses. My mom felt bad for me, though, so I got a few glasses of nice champagne out of it. I spent the whole time planning how I was going to take this evening and turn it into a scene in a movie someday.
Anyway, I suppose that's all that's really going on here. I'm pretty bored at home and I miss you guys a lot! I can't WAIT for my job to start. I hope you're all doing well! And update! I check more often than I should probably be admitting.
La belleza d'Italia
Buon giorno!!! So i am here in beautiful Perugia Italy and had the first chance to check the blog today. Im glad to see everyone is posting and continuing with this while we are all apart (tear). Wish i could have been at the party at Kims house on wednesday night. It looks like you guys had a blast (at that point i was unpacking cloths, fun). hehehe
So right now im at a internet shop but within the next couple days we should have wireless in the apartment so i can stay in touch with everyone better. Soooo....the trip here was long, so very long. But on the up side, i got to meet alot of people by doing a student group flight so by the time i was in italy i did not feel so lonely. Im living with four other conn girls, alex who just graduated, Megan and Lauren who are going to be sophmores, and sarah who is going to be a senior(kims roomate). we get along really well as a group which makes our living environment a happy place to be. This weekend were gonna try and go to Florence for two days which will be GREAT! im so excited for that...so our apartment is fabulous. im rooming with megan and we have this gorgeous view of the hills and valleys of Umbria. Its absoletely breathtaking. Im taking plenty of pictures so you will get the chance to see.
Italian classes started yesterday and it was alittle bit overwhelming at first. Im in the highest level with four other students. Im having trouble talking (a duh) but i understand everything which makes me feel better. Next week we also start classes at the Universita per stranieri which is for international students. Once that starts up, ill be in class for 3 to 4 hours a day so by the time i get back, ill actually be able to say something, hahaha. thats it for now... there is some much more but i feel like their stories best told in person. Ill keep posting and reading everyones posts (wink jeff and rach wink). Miss you all and talk to you all soon!!
Ciao!
Jess Magnum
So right now im at a internet shop but within the next couple days we should have wireless in the apartment so i can stay in touch with everyone better. Soooo....the trip here was long, so very long. But on the up side, i got to meet alot of people by doing a student group flight so by the time i was in italy i did not feel so lonely. Im living with four other conn girls, alex who just graduated, Megan and Lauren who are going to be sophmores, and sarah who is going to be a senior(kims roomate). we get along really well as a group which makes our living environment a happy place to be. This weekend were gonna try and go to Florence for two days which will be GREAT! im so excited for that...so our apartment is fabulous. im rooming with megan and we have this gorgeous view of the hills and valleys of Umbria. Its absoletely breathtaking. Im taking plenty of pictures so you will get the chance to see.
Italian classes started yesterday and it was alittle bit overwhelming at first. Im in the highest level with four other students. Im having trouble talking (a duh) but i understand everything which makes me feel better. Next week we also start classes at the Universita per stranieri which is for international students. Once that starts up, ill be in class for 3 to 4 hours a day so by the time i get back, ill actually be able to say something, hahaha. thats it for now... there is some much more but i feel like their stories best told in person. Ill keep posting and reading everyones posts (wink jeff and rach wink). Miss you all and talk to you all soon!!
Ciao!
Jess Magnum
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
hey kids
well it's the second day into my summer vacay and i'm already getting pretty good at being lazy. i was supposed to get up at 9 today and do errands.. well, i slept til 11, it's already 1:20, and i'm procrastinating even more by updating!
but anyway, to update you all on the last few days.. well, they've been weird. i went back to conn on saturday afternoon to hang out with the seniors before they are lost and gone forever (yes, guster reference! ha, yeah, i'm a huge nerd). anyway, the experience was kind of weird and not at all what i had expected. i got some time to hang out with zach, tristan, and robert, which was really cool, but unfortunately nothing else worked out very well. i don't want to go into too much detail, but suffice it to say that i spent a lot of time being bored and well, some of the seniors were being a tad exclusive and i'm a little miffed at them. i kind of felt like some of them were just writing me off because they were graduating and i won't be seeing them much in the future. i think it's bullshit, though, because you just don't treat a friendship like it means nothing simply because you're graduating. anyway, i've got to work that issue out in the next few days, but for the most part i'm pretty much over it.
i also managed to get another speeding ticket on the way home yesterday (244 dollars!) and then i found out that robert has mono. now it may surprise you all to hear this, but even though i spent the night with him on sunday, WE DIDN'T MAKE OUT so i probably don't have mono! i know that it's hard to wrap your head around that one, but try to do your best.
anyway, being home is great and i'm looking forward to the rest of the summer. i'm thinking of going down to conn in about a week to visit iwi and robert and to see you other crazy cats who are gonna be down there at that time. here's a fun story for you: i was getting gas on williams street and went inside to see if i could use their bathroom before i left for maine. there was a man waiting in line who i think was delivering juice or something to the store, and he started talking to me because he was from portland and he saw that i was from maine from my license plate. i told him that i was from windham and that i was actually on my way home, that i went to school in connecticut. now, keep in mind that this guy lives in connecticut now and that we are on WILLIAMS street, and i can only assume that he delivers regularly to that store and probably others around there. when i tell him that i am just leaving to go home from school he says, "oh yeah, UCONN?"
yeah, so.. i hope that entertained you all, but if not at least i can pretend it did by picturing you all laughing in my mind. anyway i better go do some groceries and get my act together. hope summer is going well for you all so far and i can't wait to see you all in the fall!!
-allison
p.s. rose and nick, i want to come visit you sometime within the next month, just let me know what time is best!
but anyway, to update you all on the last few days.. well, they've been weird. i went back to conn on saturday afternoon to hang out with the seniors before they are lost and gone forever (yes, guster reference! ha, yeah, i'm a huge nerd). anyway, the experience was kind of weird and not at all what i had expected. i got some time to hang out with zach, tristan, and robert, which was really cool, but unfortunately nothing else worked out very well. i don't want to go into too much detail, but suffice it to say that i spent a lot of time being bored and well, some of the seniors were being a tad exclusive and i'm a little miffed at them. i kind of felt like some of them were just writing me off because they were graduating and i won't be seeing them much in the future. i think it's bullshit, though, because you just don't treat a friendship like it means nothing simply because you're graduating. anyway, i've got to work that issue out in the next few days, but for the most part i'm pretty much over it.
i also managed to get another speeding ticket on the way home yesterday (244 dollars!) and then i found out that robert has mono. now it may surprise you all to hear this, but even though i spent the night with him on sunday, WE DIDN'T MAKE OUT so i probably don't have mono! i know that it's hard to wrap your head around that one, but try to do your best.
anyway, being home is great and i'm looking forward to the rest of the summer. i'm thinking of going down to conn in about a week to visit iwi and robert and to see you other crazy cats who are gonna be down there at that time. here's a fun story for you: i was getting gas on williams street and went inside to see if i could use their bathroom before i left for maine. there was a man waiting in line who i think was delivering juice or something to the store, and he started talking to me because he was from portland and he saw that i was from maine from my license plate. i told him that i was from windham and that i was actually on my way home, that i went to school in connecticut. now, keep in mind that this guy lives in connecticut now and that we are on WILLIAMS street, and i can only assume that he delivers regularly to that store and probably others around there. when i tell him that i am just leaving to go home from school he says, "oh yeah, UCONN?"
yeah, so.. i hope that entertained you all, but if not at least i can pretend it did by picturing you all laughing in my mind. anyway i better go do some groceries and get my act together. hope summer is going well for you all so far and i can't wait to see you all in the fall!!
-allison
p.s. rose and nick, i want to come visit you sometime within the next month, just let me know what time is best!
My baby takes the morning train
Good morning lovelies! Although I have started my internship I'm not exactly on the train back into the city today. I've got my computer, my coffee, and my cereal all right here next to me by my grandparents pool. Oh, but did I mention that on the other side of me is a 200 page publication that I have to read and write a report about by Monday? It's slow going, but luckily I'm loving the subject so it's all good. And then next week I get my little NYU ID card and library and database access and all that craziness. I can even buy any book I see that I think might help the project and he'll reimburse me for it! I think they call this English Major Heaven.
what else to share? Mollie: I'm drinking more coffee than usual and I don't know how that happened, but I do know it's a slippery slope my friend...
Ok, back to my reading, nothing to share except that Sopranos is a very violent show and watch the Price is Right today and tomorrow to see my friend on it.
Keep posting!! I love reading about everything going on in your worlds.
And keep being crazy! Love--a
what else to share? Mollie: I'm drinking more coffee than usual and I don't know how that happened, but I do know it's a slippery slope my friend...
Ok, back to my reading, nothing to share except that Sopranos is a very violent show and watch the Price is Right today and tomorrow to see my friend on it.
Keep posting!! I love reading about everything going on in your worlds.
And keep being crazy! Love--a
Monday, May 22, 2006
Ok crazies
Um. updates! so yay for summer, although it's been freeeeezing. anyway, my mom and i made chicken tikka masala today from scratch and it actually tasted like it was from a restaurant: no joke. oh, and i visited the apt. i'm staying in with nick this summer. it is soooooo coool and lovely and fun and there's a big ol' futon for y'all to sleep on so you'd better come visit. or i'll hate you forever. really. nothing much else is new, i start work in june, so i'm just hanging around being bored cuz i'm not with any of you. and i have, like, one friend here. lametastic. ok, i'm bored writing this and i'm sure you're bored reading it. love always,
Rose
Rose
"I'm just coming home from work, first day!"
Okay, so maybe that quote isn't funny to most, but Kaitlin--you better be laughing. Anyways! Today was my first day of work. For those of you who don't know, I'm working at The New England Center for Children, which is an autism education center for children ages 3 through 22. I was placed in a group with 9, 11-18 year-old boys, which is quite a new experience for me. I'm not used to looking at my "students" eye to eye, or looking up for that matter. One of the teenagers is 210 pounds! Despite their size, however, they are relatively low-functioning autistics and therefore not as intimidating as they look. One of the boys is completely non-verbal; the only word he can say is his name. All of the boys are dependent on pictures to communicate--some more dependent than others. About 50% of the kids in my group have violent tendencies, so I will be taking a course in physical restraint over the next few days. Apparently I have to take a fitness test to make sure I am physically capable of performing restraints; no problems there--I'm huge. Yup.
Though I've only been at NECC one day, I'm really excited about this summer. My group of boys, as far as I can tell, are really great--very sweet and affectionate. All of the adolescents that I work with live in a residential house at NECC, though I only work with them 9-5. One of the biggest problems in working with this group is that the majority of them are going through puberty. We are only allowed to hug them from the back, for obvious reasons. I have been instructed to give the boys their "private time," but I have to check up on them when they are in the bathroom alone, etc (all of the bathrooms have peep holes). Sounds a bit crazy, but it's something I'll have to get used to and hopefully it will be more comfortable as it becomes routine. Because these adolescents are relatively low-functioning, I have been warned that many "disgusting bathroom-related events" can occur--should be exciting. At least I'll never be bored.
On a different note, as many of you have said, Wednesday/Thursday was a blast and I'm so happy to be friends with all of you! You are a wonderful group of people and I really appreciate your willingness to accept me as one of your "family." I don't think I've ever been so sad to leave Conn/excited to return. I hope everyone has an amazing summer and I look forward to keeping in touch!
Love,
Elizabeth
Though I've only been at NECC one day, I'm really excited about this summer. My group of boys, as far as I can tell, are really great--very sweet and affectionate. All of the adolescents that I work with live in a residential house at NECC, though I only work with them 9-5. One of the biggest problems in working with this group is that the majority of them are going through puberty. We are only allowed to hug them from the back, for obvious reasons. I have been instructed to give the boys their "private time," but I have to check up on them when they are in the bathroom alone, etc (all of the bathrooms have peep holes). Sounds a bit crazy, but it's something I'll have to get used to and hopefully it will be more comfortable as it becomes routine. Because these adolescents are relatively low-functioning, I have been warned that many "disgusting bathroom-related events" can occur--should be exciting. At least I'll never be bored.
On a different note, as many of you have said, Wednesday/Thursday was a blast and I'm so happy to be friends with all of you! You are a wonderful group of people and I really appreciate your willingness to accept me as one of your "family." I don't think I've ever been so sad to leave Conn/excited to return. I hope everyone has an amazing summer and I look forward to keeping in touch!
Love,
Elizabeth
Saturday, May 20, 2006
In The Beggining
So part deux of the blog is upon us. It seems like there was no time to give a sigh of relief for those of us who went abroad; we're all heading back out again.
But never fear, Kim and I shall dive in and tell you how the water is. My plane for
As for a summation of the semester, which seems appropriate enough at the moment, let me just say that for whatever life changing experiences we all may have had over our abroad semesters apart, things sure didn't change much. Whether you think this is a good thing or a bad thing, I leave that up to you, but let me predict one lesson we're all going to learn this summer. Books and films and papers aren’t going away. We'll all have them in our apartments, or in my case, mansions. There are so many amazing things to be learned in school, and it’s the perfect place to do it, but we will never, and I repeat never live in such close proximity to not only each other, but to 1900 other people within 3 years of our age. (tour guides you can correct me on that number)
I don't think the step into the working world is a scary or bad one; most people fight retirement until they're physically unable to continue their work because they fall in love with that which gives them purpose. I do think, however, that our senior year becomes the 11th hour for tiring ourselves out of immaturity. Graduation will come, regardless of how hard we deny it, so it is up to us to take every opportunity we are afforded in college and exhaust it. For all of us who have been constantly second guessing decisions to try new things or living in fear of rejection or, much worse, the suppression of action in the falsely good intentioned but truthfully weak gesture of never upsetting someone else, we need to stomach these in the name of our last semester of this school.
We're all going to get a taste of the "real world" (which is the stupidest phrase I've ever heard) this summer, and I think it will help us all appreciate what we have, but we have to go beyond appreciation, we have to embrace it. I expect a lot of toasts to our last year; I hope we don't wait until the end to really realize it. No one will leave with the perfect college experience, but remember that we learn from "I wish I hadn't", while the only thing that we take from "I wish I had" is regret.
I hope everyone has the summer of their dreams. See you in Vail!
Friday, May 19, 2006
Yay for blogging!
So, um, I am very excited about this blog's existence. I have been catching up on all of your last summer/ study abroad experiences, and have therefore not been unpacking. It's been a fun way to ease into the summer, though, especially while it's thunderstorming!
Anyway, last night on my drive home from Kim's, I got a phone call from MTV asking if I wanted to interview this morning. I obviously said yes, and went in this morning, and got a phone call ten minutes after I left offering me the job!!! It's with Talent Development, which means I get to be a part of the decision-making process concerning who is in what show - everything from shows like Newlyweds to TRL. It's going to be SO much fun, and I can't wait. As opposed to last year at CourtTV, the people I'll be working with are totally chill, young, and fun. And there's a total hottie who I'm working for too, so that can't hurt. And yes, of course I noticed. I didn't get the Academy internship (I found out this afternoon), but I'm actually sort of relieved. Having the finalist recognition will look nice on my resume all by itself, and moving out to LA was starting to feel a little overwhelming. I have the rest of my life to live in LA, and right now I kind of want to enjoy one last summer of being home with my family.
As for being at Kim's, I had an absolutely amazing time and I cannot say enough how perfect it was for ending such a good year. Between the barbeque, the board games, the star-gazing on the dock, and the boat, I'd say it was a blast!
Anyway, last night on my drive home from Kim's, I got a phone call from MTV asking if I wanted to interview this morning. I obviously said yes, and went in this morning, and got a phone call ten minutes after I left offering me the job!!! It's with Talent Development, which means I get to be a part of the decision-making process concerning who is in what show - everything from shows like Newlyweds to TRL. It's going to be SO much fun, and I can't wait. As opposed to last year at CourtTV, the people I'll be working with are totally chill, young, and fun. And there's a total hottie who I'm working for too, so that can't hurt. And yes, of course I noticed. I didn't get the Academy internship (I found out this afternoon), but I'm actually sort of relieved. Having the finalist recognition will look nice on my resume all by itself, and moving out to LA was starting to feel a little overwhelming. I have the rest of my life to live in LA, and right now I kind of want to enjoy one last summer of being home with my family.
As for being at Kim's, I had an absolutely amazing time and I cannot say enough how perfect it was for ending such a good year. Between the barbeque, the board games, the star-gazing on the dock, and the boat, I'd say it was a blast!
Obviously I'm a little over-excited about the blog...
So last night Kim and I had a wonderful chat and good-bye dinner. Then it took us about 20 minutes to find my keys, and I eventually left with intentions of going back to Conn until Sunday. I realized as soon as I left that I didn't have directions back to the high way, but I found some old mapquest ones from another trip to Kim's. However, I spent about 2 hours trying to find my way back to Conn, in the process getting a $150 speeding ticket, and ending up back where I started. So I spent another night at Kim's, and it was great. I'm still here, we've been just hanging around all day, being ridiculously lazy. I'm going to try to find my way back to Conn again at some point today, so we'll see how that goes. I had such a great time hanging out with you all and you ALL need to send me your pictures ASAP. Also, Kim and I went to wal*mart last night and picked up lots of pictures from the semester that she had printed off, and they're all wonderful. Hope unpacking is going well for everyone and that everyone had a great drive home!
-Alli
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