Back to the Grind

Well, Spring Break was a welcome change from IUB and the humdrum life of sus the grad student. Instead I was Sus the traveler, Sus the MLS student with librarians to interview, Sus the friend back from out of town (this last one I find especially appealing).
So the first is great because well, let's face it, I LOVE to travel, and also, I'm fortunate enough that for xmas my parents bought me a ticket to visit Steve in San Fran (and they came along which meant things got paid for not out of my own pocket...hooray) Can I just say how great my parents are? I love them so much, and not because they pay for me to take exciting vacations, but because they are actually *gasp* quite cool to hang out with and converse with. I think even if I had to pay for my own ticket i would have jumped at the chance to spend some quality time with the rents. For that matter, I'd say the same about Steve now to. We've worked hard on our relationship over the past years, alot of growing up and communication, and now I"m happy to say I would even enjoy spending time visiting him regardless of the parents being along, or probably even the awesome locations he seems to pick to live in :) And let me say San Fran was an awesome choice for living - Well done Steve :) I had a BLAST out there...and enjoyed pretty much every minute of my journey out there. (plane flights not withstanding) Saw the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay, the SFMOMA (see below), Yeurba Buena Gardens (our hotel was right near it), the SF Aquarium, Hard Rock Cafe, tall ships, Monteray Bay, the M. Bay Aquarium, Seaside, Calif., Carmel, Calif, San Jose, some of Stanford Campus, Sunnyvale (and YES< it made me think of Sunnydale and Buffy the V.Slayer.) and the PACIFIC Ocean - both in San Fran side, and also from the 17 mile drive - which kicked, and also means I saw spy glass, pebble beach and some other golf courses, and houses I can hope to dream to own someday!
The SFMOMA provided me the op to be studious and a good student and inquisitive and interview the librarian at the SFMOMA about her position, library etc etc, it was well worth the time and will hopefully also help w. the paper i'm writing (ACK!) Plus the exhibitions were way cool,a nd I felt all professional and grown-up for setting up the tour/interview and exploring.
But, let me tell you why this last is the best. Now that I am no longer in Iowa City, I have gained this awesome status as the out-of-town friend that all of the IC friends should make it a priority to see while she's back. This is a great thing to me. Because I absolutely adore my friends back home, and love them to death, so it is only natural that when I am back in town I want to see all of them that I can and spend as much time as possible hanging out with them. I am happy to report that it was reciprical in most cases. Dude, totally just spelled that wrong - spell check didn't rescue me there. So first, thanks to all of you who made yourselves available to me, even for the smallest amount of time, it was much appreciated and I will see you all again soon (ACK!!! not much time left before I finish the first year of grad school - well hopefully finish)
Speaking of friends....secondly, SOOO many upcoming birthdays to send shout outs. Christa and Traci, this month, Rena, Q and Becks next month...happy birthdays folks!
all right, that said, I really should get a move on...I am wet from soaking rain, and soaked from wet rain..(and kickboxing) so must dry off and begin the process of trying to get ALL these things done...ACK! (back to the stress!)

It is March now. just an update for those of you paying attention to how fast the semester flies by. I am looking forward to my trip next week to cincinatti to the art museum library for class, and perhaps to Indy to go clubbing that night, then driving back to IA in the morning, and hoping to see some of the ic friends that night, then flying out sunday for san fran. then meeting w .the head librarian at the sfmoma library on tuesday for an interview and library tour - oh ya, BIG library dork here!!! then fisherman's warf, eating really great food, sunny days, the asian art museum, riding a cable car, setting foot in the ocean (since i haven't been to the west coast ever before!) so ya,fun times ahead. also have to homework over break...reading and studying for a midterm, and researching for papers...blah...but yes, very fun options ahead....
so that's the update...have to work at 8 am tomorrow morning, so this one is short and sweet..unusual for me...well at least the short part.

I'm going to San Fran for Spring Break! WOO HOO! Best part? It's an xmas present from my folks. I get to go and stay for 5 days out on the West coast - where i've NEVER been mind you, and see my bro, and soak up the San Fran culture and night life...hooray! Also kewl, Hawks are in the Cap One Bowl, so FL there they go. I'd say here i come, IF I could swing it, alas no money for that, but at least San Fran for the NEXT break will rawk. :) -besides i still remember last time in FL and it was a blast, but I'd need to have my girls with me to fully enjoy the rollercoasters! ;)
also very kewl is that i did well on my paper...so I should be heading back to IC around Dec 14th or so. yay! good part about that, I'll probl catch all my academically obligated friends, b.c iowa final's week is then I think, so they'll still be havin to stick around a few days so I can see em :) yay! okies, speaking of academically obligated...I have to work on this pathfinder...

Mechanism to Cope over the Summer

Listening to: Dare You To Move (acoustic)- Switchfoot
Looking forward to tonight. The two girl revolution. Traci and I will eventually change the world, I promise. And, if we don't, then at least we dare to dream big.
I was trying to figure out my classes for Spring semester, and decide which of the electives I can take and should take (12 hours total, with core and electives). That's the funny thing about "electives" because when you are paying out of state tuition, you really want to make sure that they are relevant towards your career path. Well, I wonder what sort of career path I'm truly on these days anyways. My former boss was able to help me possibly score an internship this summer in the Art Library back on UI's campus (because this way, I can make money at a random job, do the internship and also live for free in the basement at my parent's again), and I think that is what I really want to do with my life. Work in an art library.
Regardless, even though I really don't want to be back in Iowa City this summer, because I've just finally gotten OUT of that town, the fact of the matter remains, sometimes you have to take what seems like a step backward in order to leap ahead. At least I've never felt like I needed to rebel against my parents, in fact I consider my relationship with my folks to be quite a lucky one. I think of my mom as a wealth of advice given in the kind and generous manner she has about her. I think of her as my "older" best friend even. There are few things I won't tell her and few things I would want to keep from her, so I cherish the bond we have. My dad and I bond over traveling, tech savy new toys (he's always got SOMETHING new it seems) and our passion for watching t.v. in the downtime. So, another summer spent at home to save money isn't so horrible, plus the experience at the library will make it worthwhile I think. I'll get to spend more time with my boys and gals in IC too, as they continue to grow up and make their own life decisions. (Hard to believe the younger set are finally turning 21 this year!) And, I must keep in mind, that some of the friends from Bloomington won't be far away...Trac will be in Quincy, IL doing her own internship and I'd LOVE to introduce her to the crazy IC folks. Oh ya, Roadtrips baby!
And perhaps I"ll go out to Cali and visit Steve at some point to, when the scenary of Iowa City gets to be hum drum as it often does. And when I get an actual job, it'll be farther from home, in a great city where all of the friends will want to come and visit ME instead of me always visiting them, and I can pay them back with hospitality and a fun city full of cultural treats to explore.
ya, that would be cool. I can see it now. Dreaming big is a valuable coping mechanism.