Loyalties and Parties

All day today my away message varied from "I hate snow" "I despise snow" "Snow sucks" and "When I'm grown up, I want to live somewhere warm" mostly this is due to my cabin fever of sorts, because I was stuck inside the house for the ENTIRE day. Blah. There was this huge storm that's moved through Iowa (will not be done until tomorrow afternoon) and it started with sleet and ice, and now is snowing. So the grounds are not only icy, but snowy to. Just the kind of weather I really LOVE being around. *ahem* cough, sarcasm. I also hate when the weather means my plans get cancelled. Just proves Mother Nature really does rule our lives, and rightly so - as we've recently seen how powerful it can be, and sadly at that. But tonight we were going to make ghetto gingerbread houses, and it was going to be fun, I just know it. We did it a few years ago and I thought it was a blast. I like being creative, and I especially like when I can be creative at the same time as other people and we can share the creative vibes. OH well, only a few more days in Iowa, until back in Indy I will not have time to do anything but study, attend classes, study, read for classes, hopefully work out occasionally, figure out housing for next year, and maybe do dinner a few times with some friends. That will suck...means to an end, means to an end. I'll just keep telling myself that. I meet with my internship advisor in the morning (if I can get OUT and drive on the roads) I hope that she doesn't think I'm a total moron, and that I have no business being an art librarian. I'm worried she'll think I'm not ready for it...
This past weekend was a total blast. I haven't been out to party that consistantly in FOREVER. Firstly we went out for Eben's bday on Thurs night, fun times. At least my hair looked really spiff and cute. Was a small West high Reunion, and Jana and Pete got to come along as well. Then on Friday night we did the new year's styles. All the pics are up on the web. it was a blast...I love those folks, thanks for celebrating with me you guys! Sat I was on full recovery mode. I did almost nothing the whole day. I fell asleep at like 10:30 that night too. Sunday night we went to Jakes for Kimi's 21st. That was also quite fun, took me back a ways to last year and many years previous when we'd go there to dance and have a good time just grooving the night away. Jakes is also the bar that is somewhat known as the "hook up" bar, though Sunday night, during break, there weren't too many ppl out. We did have a few guys that danced with kimi and me for a bit, but mostly it was just the group on the floor. Then Monday night we went to the Field House to help her celebrate with Pitchers, I drove though, and was bummed that they didn't have the dance floor open that night, but it was okay, it was a very relaxed and chill evening to help Kimi reach official legal age. Tonight I've stayed in, due to the weather...tomorrow night, I'll watch the hawk men open their big ten season. I am definately a hawkeye at heart, having spent 22 years of my life cheering on my black and gold. - so when I'm in Indy I will have to find a sportsbar that'll show the bball games so I can stay on top of things, and go IU basketball too - I watched the IU women take on the UI women the other night, and had my Iowa sweatshirt on, especially because I went with my mom, and she's also a UI grad. I cheered for the IU girls when they made good plays, but ultimately, I find my loyalty sports wise must rest with the hawks still - not to mention that after the hailmary pass to end the Capital One Bowl, I'm pretty impressed with how lucky my Hawk football team was, with the end of their season. Only 3 more days in Iowa...hopefully the weather will be good for the drive back on Sat. night folks.

well, the vacation is winding down. This morning I awoke to a sheet of ice not only covering my car, but the sidewalks, streets, and anything else in this town. Welcome to Winter weather. Blah. I totally need to move somewhere warm most of the year. This weekend has been a rather crazy display of partying and fun. Last night we went out to celebrate Kimi's 21st, and tonight we'll do it again with pitchers, though I'll drive tonight. Before that was new years eve, which was quite the crazy display to watch as well. Before that, Eben's 24th at the piano lounge, which was a fun time to. Vacation is on the wann, I need to get myself back into the habbit of getting up at a decent hour, rather than sleeping in, which i've finally grown accustomed to. It will be weird to return to Indy and have to put my nose to the grindstone again, especially with 4 actual grad school classes and a part time job - I imagine I'll be quite busy, but I do tend to think I opperate well under busy conditions. I felt like a slacker last semester without having a job, so at least that will make me feel some what more worthwhile and like I"m contributing more to paying for my higher higher education still. I've enjoyed my time here, primarily, and will miss the IC friends when I head back for school. I am eager to return though, so I can get another semester underway and then finished. I'm also eager to return to Indy to get some things figured out, but until then I'm all about just having a good time and enjoying the company of other folks!
hope you all had safe and happy new years!

Happy Holiday Greetings to everyone! I love spending time with the family and friends during the season to be jolly. Grandma arrived in Iowa City on Wednesday, after a meer 4 hrs on the road, - we were impressed she was able to make the trip and I'm happy she got here safely. Unfortunately mom took her to the ER today as she's got bronchitis, poor thing. I get to pick up my bro at the airport tomorrow, and I"m sure I will pick his brain about what to do in San Fran when i'm there over Spring Break. I will also get to satisfy my need for pets by taking care of Fritz, the awesome schnauzer of some family friends. I get to stay at their house to, which is great, and will give me some much needed time to concentrate on getting some of this work done for school and cuddling with a puppy is always nice :)
We went out to MugClub last night, it was VERY cold here in IA, no snow yet, but some negative degrees and nasty windchills...apparently Indy got dumped on with lots of snow recently - I hope that will all melt before I am back there for the start of next semester.
I have caught up on many of the movies that I'd wanted to see, which is one thing I can cross off that list I wrote awhile ago, and I've worked on the website alot too - though it's not nearly done yet...Surprisingly I haven't really taken many pictures since getting back to Iowa either. Guess I"ll get on that here soon! I have seen :
Oceans 12, Finding Neverland, Saved (hilarious), Napoleon Dynamite, Collateral, American History X, GhostWorld, Super Size Me, and some others too. I've also caught a few of the men's bball games....I think i will miss that the most when i'm back in Indy, and may have tomake a few trips to some sports bar with possible regional coverage that extends to the other "I" states.
Chai asked if he could come to indiana for the Iowa/Indiana game, and I promptly told him Of course he could, and that he can watch it at the sportsbar with me, silly boy, the game's in IC this year. Haha, the hawks kicked texas tech butt though - so Bobby Knight didn't have much to be happy about the other night.
hope everyone is having a good start to their celebrations (whatever you celebrate)

Christmas Spirit and Alchy

It's 3:!8 am Iowa time, I'm not tired. I hate how much I've thrown off my sleeping schedule in the first week of being on break. It's really annoying that I basically get up with the sun, because, surprise, my parents do. and then go back to sleep, after breakfast, and sleep until like noon or so, and lounge around all day, working out, and doing the normal break things, like reading and such. I'm a huge dork I know. Tonight was friday of finals for the Iowa folks, so I actually got to see a few of them out and about. Misa had a wine party get together thing that I attended, I did coffee with Jaime, and also got to see faraji and Krisitn. Kristin I haven't seen since WAY back before I left for IU, which I guess, while not being a super long time ago in reality, meer months really, still seems like forever. she's awesome and I did have some fun hanging w. her at 808 (previously Malones, and I gotta say, was better as a more sit down irish pub enviro than drunk college kid place) but, nonetheless it was interesting. Got hit on by a guy in law school here at iowa, was a way to pass the time I guess, making conversation...and another guy chatted with me, and a really drunk guy sang a few christmas carolls for us - I REALLY had to hold myself back from decking him. Honestly, I have a pent up rage building for christmas songs, and especially people, (though drunk they can NOT really use that as an excuse) who randomly break out into their favorite little xmas ditty, when I didn't ASK them to serenade me, and could care less to hear O Holy Night, while some rap song is playing in the background and they feel the need to TOP the base in the dj's song by yelling out All is Calm and Bright at the top of their freaking lungs. He asked what my favorite christmas song was, and I was sure he'd sing it anyways, so to shut him up (hopefully) I asked to hear 'Santa Baby' - feeling rather smug and kewl about my answer, he did NOT break into a screaming rendition, but instead remarked 'that's great, but for me to sing it, kinda gay." Thank God.
I'm all for the xmas spirit, sure. I mean, the spirit of giving and having fun and holiday breaks and such, but for some reason the whole idea of christmas carrolls is entirely pissing me off righ tnow. Perhaps it is because I have tried to boycott hearing them at all, which is an entirely impossible task, as every radio station is the eastern Iowa area seems to LOVE slipping a few in every HOUR! There are only so many times I can hit the seek or scan button on the civic and really not crave to plug in the ipod - current events and songs be damned. I have nothing against ppl enjoying the chance to sing christmas songs in the privacy of their own home (thank you mom and dad for not playing them or humming them 24/7) I do have a problem with being forced to listen to anyone sing. Carrollers, dont' stop at my house, or I will shut the door in your face this time around - not sure why it's affecting me so much this year - last year I wasn't like this...misdirected rage towards the happy go lucky idea of xmas songs? perhaps tis more the season to be jolly is okay and well and good - but not for those people that celebrate Kwanza or Haunakah (can you tell I'm not jewish cause I can't spell that word at all?) I ALMOST told the guy in the bar: "I don't celebrate christmas. I was adopted by an african american family and I celebrate kwanza, and your carrolling offends me." but duh, iowa city bar friday night of finals week, there isn't really a way to SAY that and not hear about ten rounds of "jingle bells" as an answer.
so ya, bah humbug to xmas carrolling in public.

holiday possibilities

I'm really looking forward to my Winter Break. I have high ambitions for how I will fill my days and evenings. I'm very excited that my grandmother is coming to spend Christmas with us this year! My brother is also flying home from San Fransisco for the festivities, and my aunt Julie will be passing through due to work. Lis is coming back from Korea for a few days, so I will also get to catch up with her. I must say I really really love the holiday season right about this time of year. It's not so much that I love the holiday of christmas, or dare I say the birth of christ which caused it's formation. For me, it's more about getting to spend the time with my family and friends, and getting to buy them things that make them happy or at the very least, i've put some time and effort into making for them. I'm on a zealous campaign to teach myself some more website html designing things, to play as much playstation II as possible, to practice the guitar, to read many great books, to hang out often with the friends, to play board games with them (haha, they'll get roped into it!), to see my old bosses and co-workers, to sleep alot, to party alot, to watch alot of t.v. and alot of movies, to explore a lill more of Indy and Bloomington before I go, to ring in the new year in a funtabulous way, to send out many happy holiday cards to friends near and far, to take LOTS and LOTS of pictures (which is a normal given in my case), to make mom's lasagna, to enjoy a wine and cheese party, some shopping, some cleaning of the storage locker, and some serious time by myself to write.
I know I know...as I said...zealous. about half of that I will probably actually get around to doing. But it's almost as much fun just thinking of all the hours of the day i COULD spend doing things that makes the Winter Break seem so open to possibilities. I know I know...I'm a big dork! At least I admit it!
happy holidays folks!