Summer!

Hello, blog! Long time no see, right?

Since my exams finished (two weeks ago) I have been busy doing, well, summery stuff. (Summery stuff doesn't always involve blogging, I guess.)

I'll give you a top ten list of awesome summery things that I've done in the last few weeks, shall I?

10) I've bought new shorts and flip flops. Let the summer in! (Let it also be noted that I already have a flip flop tan on my feet, too.)

9) I've slept in until 2:30pm. The good news is that this occurred a few weeks ago and right now I am cured of my nocturnal tendencies produced as a side effect of final exams.

8) I've gotten my first sunburn of the summer. Having this out of the way, fingers crossed I won't get any bad ones!

7) I've spent an entire day in my pajamas. (Oh yeah...)

6) I've read seventeen books. (I am trying to break a personal record, which I believe is around 50 or 60 in a summer. This record was when I was about 12 or 13...)

5) I've baked the perfect cookies. They have almost disappeared entirely from my mom's kitchen, and my mom's kitchen is a very healthy place.

4) I've had a haircut. Not having cut my hair since January, this is so wonderful! I have bangs again!

3) I've moved to Mom's house for a few weeks. It's like a staycation before the summer starts! It's awesome to be home close to my family, play my piano (whenever I want) and be away from the campus for a while!

2) I tubed the Comal river with my friend Lindsey and her boyfriend Michael. It was a relaxing afternoon on the water!

1) I've gone to Fiesta Texas with Katie, my stepsister. We rode every roller coaster except one (because it not only is a roller coaster, but it also SPINS YOU while you ride it. I don't do spinning!) and I also rode the Scream, which is that tower which takes you up and then drops you a bunch, which I have to say was just awful... I don't like falling! But the trip was AWESOME.

Well, I am off to do some more summery things! Farewell for now!

Visitor!

Siobhan has confirmed plans for coming to Texas this summer, and the planning for it (she assures me she will be buying her ticket this week - so fingers crossed!) has forced me to make a list of things to do around Texas for this summer.

I am hoping that we can definitely hit up the major cities - Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, (and, of course, Austin) and see the major attractions like the Alamo and the NASA space center, but for the most part we'll be around Austin.

For some reason, it was really hard to think of things to do around Austin - like I haven't lived here for nearly my entire life or something! I pushed through my idea block and came up with a list of things we could do while she is here. I don't know if we could get to ALL of it, but we could try.

Outdoorsy stuff:

Duck tour: You know that awkward-looking vehicle that can be both a car AND a boat? I've ALWAYS wanted to go on one!

Kayaking on Town Lake: They rent out kayaks for something like $10/hour from Zilker Park. I think it would be great to get out on the lake and paddle about!

Wild Basin: To prove to Siobhan exactly how hot it can get here, I want to take her hiking around Wild Basin, which is this little nature reserve out in Westlake. It's a pretty view, too!

Inner Space Caverns: Caves. Enough said? (I love caves - they're so cool!)

Barton Springs: A 68-degree natural spring that would be good after something like Wild Basin.

Hamilton Pool: I've been there a few times, but all I can remember is that it's got a cool waterfall and it's really pretty out there!

Indoorsy/Museumy stuff:

Capitol building: It's like seeing the national capitol except pink! (And it saves you a pesky trip to Washington DC!)

Bob Bullock museum: A "History of Texas" museum is required on one's first trip to Texas, I would think! (Plus, there's that "Spirit of Texas" show with that one surprise that always amuses me!)

LBJ library: Since we'll be around the general campus area, we could go here too! I was taken on a field trip there enough times in school that I figure it must be important.

UT Campus: How can I drag her around campus without showing her the actual campus?

I have other things planned for Austin, but those are the touristy things I'd like to do with her. Any ideas? Anything that is missing from the list?

Also on the agenda are trips to Dallas (for the Lady Gaga concert!!), Houston (she wants to see NASA and I want to see if I can take her to a museum or two there as well as maybe to Galveston so she can see the gulf! Fingers crossed they'll have that oil spill thing 'fixed' by then!) and to San Antonio (Remember the Alamo!) and San Marcos (to wander around that lovely outlet mall they've got there.

What am I missing? What would you recommend I show Siobhan on her first trip to America?

One Year

So I realized that it was around this time a year ago I started to look after Emma.

A year ago, she looked like this:

Today, she looks like this.

When I arrived at the daycare to pick her up this afternoon, she saw me come in the door, stood up, and ran into my arms. My heart melted into a puddle around my feet!

I love you, little Miss Emma. I hope that in another year I can make another blog like this!

Dear Other Professor

Dear Professor,

Has it ever occurred to you that the three major cathedrals we are studying (Chartres, Amiens, and Reims) from the Gothic period look RIDICULOUSLY ALIKE?

I've really enjoyed learning about the different cathedrals and everything, but I would say the only bit I have particulaly enjoyed about memorizing the images is that, put in order of the date they were built, they make C-A-R.

That is all.

Love, Stefanie.

Dear Professor,

Dear Professor,

So I calculated my grade for your class today. In order to fail your class, I have to score in the negative on the exam tomorrow. This considerably brightened my evening while I am sitting amongst my friends who are all diligently cramming for their respective exams tonight as well.

I do, however, have a small issue with something you mentioned in class the other day. We were talking about Jackson Pollock, and the painting Convergence. I don't understand the image, but then again, most of the modern art we have talked about in this section of the class has gone whoosh right over my head. Modern art and I are not really very good friends, not even acquaintances. My relationship with modern art is more along the lines of my relationship with my uncle's aunt's cousin's dentist's ex-girlfriend's college roommate... practically nonexistent. I understand that they are probably a great person (just like it must be great art) but I don't really understand them, or where they're coming from, or what they mean to me.

So anyway, this day in class, you mentioned a certain jacksonpollock.org. It was also in the class notes for that day. Being the diligent student that I am, I of course visited the website so that I might better understand the material.

As you can see, I got a wee bit distracted. Just thought you should know.

Sincerely,

Stefanie

It's that time again! The finals schedule...

So today is a lazy day for me. Today involved a lot of me on the couch emailing my group members for my English project (because they can't seem to agree about anything.) Today also involved a lot of naps. And at the moment, today is involving me doing the homework I should have done earlier this afternoon so I could continue to watch TV.

As per tradition, here is a copy of my finals "schedule" so that yall can, at random moments, call me and see if I am doing what I am supposed to. (Click to embiggen!)

This week is my last week of classes and Friday is my last day of class. I am not sure if I will make it, but we shall see!

And while this week will be very busy it should be fun, because every day has something (non-homework related) to look forward to!