On Libraries, Littles, and bLood drives

So, at the moment I am in the library (surprise!) and have just spend the last two hours memorizing and testing and retesting myself for my exam tomorrow... so I hope that I have it and that I will do well on my test tomorrow morning. After writing this blog, I'm going to go back to studying. (I promise. Scout's honor.) (<- Does that even work for me?)

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how highly you place productivity on the Scale of Importance), interspersed in between my memorization is a lot of this:


(Katlin staring awkwardly at Karynna)

And a lot of this...


(Katlin acting like a velociraptor.)

Thus is my life here at the PCL. (I may just move in one of these days!)

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On Sunday, I got a Little!


Her name is Kim, and she made us MATCHING HATS! (Lil Sis and Big Sis!) I love her already :D

The Greens all went to the Spaghetti Warehouse and stuffed our faces with really yummy Italian food. We were spread over two tables

Some people ended up with cake on their face... because that's how we roll.


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So, it's that time again! It's Blood Drive week, so here is my obligatory Blood Drive plug:

Be a stud, donate blood!!

(Call me if you have any questions, etc.)

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Emma Update: EMMA IS WALKING! Hooray! She loves it. I haven't watched her do a face-plant yet, but I am sure that will come. Also, Emma (who currently has a cold) sneezed in my face on Sunday... so please think healthy thoughts for me!

Some Thoughts

It's time for a blog full of five random thoughts!

I've been writing today, like really writing. My new story (as yet to be named) is pretty thought-driven and my main character totally unlike the ones that I have created and written about before. Usually my main characters are strong, loud personalities because those are the ones that are easiest to write about. Stereotypical, so when I am stuck I know what they'll do. But Lin, my main character is so soft spoken that I never know what she'll do or react to next. At the moment, I am struggling with trying to find her personality and character and so my story is starting off like a slow steam engine - huffing and puffing and really needing a great effort to get it going properly. It took me three months to write chapter 1, but it's taken me a day to write about half of chapter 2. Maybe I'm beginning to find the momentum that I need?

Since taking this Renaissance Drama course and having read five plays in such a short amount of time, reading a play for fun has been so much easier and less of a hassle than I thought it would be. Because I am genuinely interested in what my professor has to say about it, I am rereading Romeo and Juliet (I read it about six years ago for school, so it's been a while) and my friend Ally and I are planning to set up a meeting with him outside his office hours to speak to him about it. I can't wait to hear his opinions on the play! I read half of it in my spare time this afternoon and I'm sure I'll have it done pretty soon.

It was nice to spend spring break just chilling at home. It was really great (better than I expected) to get out of my apartment, even for a week, and sleep and live somewhere else. Living in the city and on campus now I am so used to the constant hustle and bustle of traffic and the consistent noise now that being so far outside of everything (and by "so far" I mean "like 10 whole miles!") was a vacation for me. However, as much as I loved being home (watching TV, playing the Wii, sitting by the pool) it is nice to be back at school and readjusting to school mode. Watching TV all the time? Actually pretty boring.) The next six or seven weeks of my life are going to be difficult. I have test after test after paper to look forward to... and then final exams! But I will make it through just fine, I am sure.

This morning, I transferred my Kombucha into smaller jars and this afternoon I started a new batch. More on that next week when I can have a taste! I flavored mine with grape juice. I've been drinking Mom's homemade Kombucha all week and that's been super delicious, so I am so looking forward to having a store of my own! I prefer having a glass of that to a cup of coffee. The sharp taste and cold temperature just wakes me up so much better.

It was decided tonight while at Kerbey Lane that tomorrow is "Dress Day" among my friends. We're all going to wear dresses, despite the fact that we probably won't see each other to celebrate that fact. I think I'm going to wear my UT dress! That dress is Comfy with a capital C.

Okay, those were your five thoughts! I am off to bed now!

I Found Existentialism in my Piano!

I recorded myself playing a song! I hope yall enjoy. It's not perfectly played, but I do love the song.



(It is Existentialism on Prom Night, a song by Straylight Run.)

I am hoping to record myself playing some more songs. I recorded seven or so songs a few years ago, and haven't done it since... My iPhone has surprisingly good quality! Much better than my laptop!

If you want to see the video (really a recording with a picture as the background), make sure to click into the blog!

Spring Break!

Hey there!

Long time, no see!

I'm just hanging out here at Mom's house with Topher.



I've had a pretty chill spring break so far. I cleaned up my room (and found those sunglasses that have been evading capture for the last month or so), I did some homework, I sat by my pool and got a sunburn, I went to two live shows, I went to San Antonio for the night, and I watched a LOT of TV.

Wednesday night, Ally, Karynna, and I went to Threadgills to see a free SXSW show. It was five bands (we stuck around for four) and our main purpose for being there was to see Barcelona, one of Karynna's favorite bands.


They were awesome! I bought their CD and have been listening to it nearly nonstop for the last few days. If you're interested, I took a video of about a minute of their song Takers! (Remember to click into the blog and out of the email to see it!)



Last night, Ally and I went back to Threadgills to see Bob Schneider. He was there with his Bluegrass band and was so much fun! Ally and I both wore our cowboy boots and danced all night!


At the end of the concert, I hung around and bought the recording of the concert. Bob signed it for me!


Only six weeks left of the semester!

Retaliation

Spring break began yesterday at 3pm.

All I can say to that? Ahhh....

In celebration of spring break and in retaliation to the late nights I've been pulling recently, I went to bed at 8pm. It was glorious, considering my sleep records of the week.

Sunday: Woke up at 10am, went to bed at 4am.
Monday: Woke up at 9am, went to bed at 4am.
Tuesday: Woke up at 9:30am, went to bed at 4am.
Wednesday: Woke up at 12pm (whoops...) went to bed at 3am.
Thursday: Woke up at 9am, went to bed at 4am.
Friday: Woke up at 10am, went to bed at 8pm.

Ahh, yes. I slept till 11am today and it glorious, let me tell you.

Today was productive! I did no homework (except finish up a powerpoint in preparation for an epic flashcard-making session I will have tomorrow), I did laundry, I vacuumed, I hung up my laundry (which has been gathering dust on my floor for a month - let's be honest, I have neither the time nor the desire to hang up my laundry), I went shopping (Ally's birthday was today and Katlin's birthday is tomorrow, I also bought a dress I wore to dinner tonight. It is both cute AND cost only $20) and I even found time to watch a movie (The Proposal, which was about 2 hours of cover-your-face-awkward).

Now, because it is spring break, I am going to read a book. Stop the presses, I know. It's big news. And tomorrow? I'll probably read another book. Maybe even watch a movie.

(Spring break? Please be nice to me. I know I have a lot of work to get done, but I would appreciate a break from all of this schoolwork.)

On Books I Should Have Read

Ally and I were talking a while ago about how much we love our major. We are both English majors and totally thrilled to be. In fact, sometimes it is frightening what comes out of our mouths when we are reading for class.

For example, we were just in the library tonight and I was helping her study for her midterm in her Shakespeare class by reading The Merchant of Venice with her. We just switched off lines and got through the play in about two hours. Being English majors (and thus able to read into everything) we spotted the jokes, the innuendos, the dirty talk and the abundance of phallic symbols (THEY ARE EVERYWHERE) and were, well, not very quiet. We were very giggly by the end of the play, there was just so much to read into! (Also, we are rather ridiculous.) I have a feeling that the poor people studying physics at the table across the aisle were probably not our friends by the time we left around 1:30.

But, as much as I enjoy reading for class (I am totally in love with my Renaissance Drama textbook. It comes with me everywhere! It's kind of become like my cell phone, where it doesn't feel right leaving it at home; I feel naked without it!) I enjoy reading outside of the required reading more. What tends to happen, though, is that when I reach for a book on my shelf I just want a quick read... something like a romance novel (exhibit A: Gena Showalter's latest that I just read in like four hours this weekend.) or a novel that just faithfully good every time (Victoria Hanley's The Seer and the Sword, while written for, well, twelve-year-olds, is one of my favorites.) Really, anything to escape the "wouldst"s, "thy"s and "'zounds!"s that follow me around daily. (As an aside? 'zounds is the BEST vulgar word of the Renaissance.) Fluff fiction dominates my personal reading because it requires no thought or analysis... it's a break for my brain, which is constantly analyzing when I read for class. (Ally and I have discussed this at length and she is in a situation similar to mine.)

I feel like I kind of fail as an English major because of this. It's not that I don't want to read those things, it's just that I feel like "adult" books and classics require a lot of thought and wading through difficult language and so I avoid them. (Don't ask me how I think that that difficult language is an issue when I find Shakespeare totally normal English.)

I fail as an English major (and a woman, really) because I haven't read Pride and Prejudice, despite owning a really nicely bound copy of every Jane Austen novel. and I never go out of my sphere to read something classic, even something simple like Alice in Wonderland (anyone want to go see the movie with me?) I particularly fail because I haven't read (in the giant list of What People Generally Say You Should Read) like 90% of what is recommended. It's not that I don't want to... it's just that I don't want to. I like fluff. It's comforting to me.

In order to remedy(ish) this, Ally and I have started to compile a list of things that I, as an English major and lover of books, simply have to read. We have eleven books on the list so far. What do you guys think belongs on the list? It doesn't even have to be considered a classic. I want to expand and add to my list, which at the moment has everything from Pride and Prejudice to Bridget Jones' Diary.

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Recently, I have been struggling to stay on top of things. I am just totally lacking motivation and it's a real struggle for me to get up in the morning and get motivated to be excited about going to class and reading the assignments. It's the mid-semester slump; summer is too far away to think about seriously and things aren't fresh and new in class anymore. Things are getting more intense and as spring break comes ever nearer (at the moment, I am living for 3pm on Friday...) I find my focus waning every minute. I do have some hope, though, because today has been particularly productive and I feel like come next week (which, if I am going to do anything productive at all, needs to be vigorously planned hour by hour) I'll be able to study. Maybe. I might get my hair cut. Maybe take a nap, sleep late, you know. I might even go visit Dad and Pippa! (Love yall! I am just chained to my desk...)

More on that as it comes. For the present, I bid thee adieu!

I Have a New Mother? and Broomball!

This blog comes to you in two parts!

Part One, Broomball!

The other night (last Friday to be specific) I went out with APO to play broomball!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the great and noble sport of broomball, picture hokey. Except replace the puck with a ball. And then replace the sticks with broom-like sticks. And then nix the skates and go with tennis shoes.


The Actives were Team USA and the Pledges were Team Russia. (I am happy to say that the US triumphed over Russia! 8-1! [And then 1 didn't really count, because the Old Woman (the pledge's sort of Active Mentor who we forced to pledge again] picked the ball up and threw it into the goal.)


Here the actives have just scored.

And here is Kimbo, flaunting that goal.

And, of course, because we were playing on ice people took some falls!


And personally? I think that Kevin deserves the Best Dressed of the night.


(Frightening, right? I think I might have seen a pledge crying at one point... haha!)


Yay, APO!

So, because I have no transition between Part 1 and Part 2, here! Have a picture of Emma.


I know! Sweet, right?

...And (I suppose) that brings me to Part 2! Kombucha!

I went to my mother's house tonight and... she gave me a new mother. This one isn't nearly as kind and loving, and I certainly wouldn't want it to give me a hug OR a kiss goodnight. Yuck! Want to see my new mother?


(EEW.)

(GROSS.)

Okay, so obviously it requires an explanation. My mother gave me a mother so that I can make my own Kombucha! I'm not entirely clear why it's called a Mother, but it is also called a Mushroom, so here I am assuming it is a kind of fungus? Whatever it is, it turns a gallon of tea into a delicious drink.

So, to make your own Kombucha, you need...

A recipe! (Adorable ducky magnet optional, but recommended.)

You need a gallon of boiling water.


(Not boiling yet, but it had big aspirations.)

You need a cup of brown sugar!


And you need five tea bags. I used green, because I drink enough black tea as it is. (I went through my tea today and counted six different black teas, one herbal tea, and one green tea. I, um, may need to go to Tea-holics Anonymous soon.)


You need a Big Jar with your Mother in it. (No, not your REAL mother. The gross one.)


You need to boil water. Then add the sugar and boil uncovered for five minutes. Then add the tea bags and boil uncovered for a further five minutes. Then cover it and boil for fifteen minutes! (Or if your fixated on the five minute thing, feel free to boil covered for three consecutive five-minute increments.)

Stick it in the fridge for an hour. This doesn't cool it down as much as take up room in your fridge for an hour. (Still fixated on the five minute thing? That's twelve five-minute increments.)

Once you take it out of the fridge, pour it into the jar with your Mother. Don't close the lid, because the mixture needs to breathe. (I must remind you not to get confused: this is the fungus mother not your real mother. I understand the confusion here, since BOTH mothers need to breathe.) So to let it breathe, cover with a paper towel and rubber band. (I used a hair tie because I apparently have no rubber bands!)


And then? To make sure your roommates aren't confused when they wake up in the morning and see a jar of suspicious contents, decorate it with post-it note disclaimers.




I have a thing for post-it notes. And so, apparently, does my Kombucha!


More on that after March 22!