Everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt.

For reasons that still elude me, we humans are perpetually trying to be understood. That's the origin of the arts, see. Self-expression, if you will. Here's the catch, though: it can't happen. Our attempts to understand each other are feeble, faithless, laughable, and completely in vain. There's some sadistic unwritten law that says that.
We cannot promise to understand, because we never will, not fully at least. The only thing we can promise is to love, unconditionally. For those who are new to this world, who have not yet attempted, in futility, to comprehend its workings, I give you this:
"Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you’ve got about a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I know of, babies—God damn it, you’ve got to be kind."

If I could meet any one person in the chrono-synclastic infundibulum, it would be Kurt Vonnegut.

that's what it's all about

Ah, my little bloggie blog, my little friend, long time no see. As anyone might have guessed, I gave up long ago on trying to maintain this sucker with school and all that nonsense going on. Yet still I come back. It's my addiction.

Funny thing about me and blogs: I always start them with the perpetual intent that no one will read them, but secretly hoping all the while that someone will. Take this post for instance; a month and a half into the new school year, and no one's keeping up with their blogs. Should be safe to post something reasonably revealing about myself... and yet... there's always the chance that someone might actually read it and find out about me... and yet.... that's exactly what I want.
Am I alone out here? Is it just me wanting someone to know me, yet being a bit too nervous to bare it all. Maybe. Story time: back in junior year of high school I was pretty damn messed up and confused about everything. My future, who I was, the meaning of life, yada yada, the list goes on. It really sounds like the makings of a terribly-boring-yet-true-to-life indie film that documents a young super-angsty teenage girl's attempts to comprehend the workings of the world. Yes, all that and more! I should really go into advertising. It was a joke. Back to the point though, thinking about it some more, I don't really know if much has changed. I'm a little better at masking all the internal conflict, perhaps. But not much better. This tells you a lot about how very super-angsty I was back in the day.
I feel like I'm just pushing back everything (the lack of specifics is disappointing, I realize, but I can't seem to think of much right now), and I don't really reveal myself very fully to anyone. I really miss my violin, because I'm not very good with words and somehow words seemed to flow out of every pore of that thing while I was playing it. I guess I'm just lacking something to immerse myself completely in. I'm just going through the motions, passionless. That's the worst.
One thing I hope I'm a little better at now is telling people how I feel. This summer changed that. I hope for anyone still reading this (you're out there somewhere?) that you know that my word is gold. If I say I care about you, or miss you, or want to see you soon, I mean it. When I say I'm sorry, I really mean it. I am being vulnerable for you. Because when people show me that all my high-minded cynical generalizations about the world and humanity are crap, then I know it's all worth it. I live off that stuff. It might be my life's vocation.

I really want to do something important with my life. Or if not that, I want to get all I can out of it, doing the things I always dreamed of. Like seeing architecture, real bonafide European architecture. Traveling. Reading. Making music. Even writing. Simple dreams, you say. Well simple is good enough for me.

Well. It's getting late. Everything I ever say ends up rambling terribly (a tribute to Faulkner for you all) and no one will really ever understand it, not even myself. Still, it felt good to get some of it out. Now maybe I can get some sleep.

a day in the life.

It's a good day to let go of the past. As it so happens, my computer died again several times today and I was required to restore partitions of the hard drive that I had backed up a few months ago... and as a result, I am now deprived of the AIM logs that having been saving themselves for the past few months, waiting to be reread again by my eager eyes. Yes, they will be sorely missed. Yes, I use these logs to refresh my memory on conversations that have been had, and even more often use the contents of these logs as ammo in further arguments. Bad, I know.

It was actually kind of pathetic how crappy I felt when I realized that they had all been deleted. Kind of like how I might feel if all of my Facebook pictures were erased... though I feel I would probably be a little more distraught about that... Ah, but it is indeed for the best. I need to turn my attentions away from what has been done and focus on what is being done and what will be done. In recovering from the loss of wisdom teeth recently removed, I've had a lot of time virtually alone in my house (if you don't count my brother) and have realized how utterly unproductive I am. However, I have made considerable progress in 1984 and am thoroughly enjoying it, I'm working out a lot (gotta work off that poundage) and also refining my musical tastes, and I'm taking a much-needed relaxation break. Still gotta learn German, refresh my programming skills, and see lots of people.

It has occurred to me, actually, how few people I have to see here. A few select personal friends here and there, some family friends, some Asians, and the tennis team. I guess I'm not really that close with too many people, at least not close enough to want to reacquaint myself with them for the duration of a couple hours only to not talk to them again throughout the course of the school year. C'est la vie. I'm all right with that.

AH. I've decided that I need to make more money somehow. 1. Europe. 2. I need to look super sexy this year so I can get some boys! Whoo! So yes, #2 involves giving my wardrobe a makeover. I wish I could be on What Not to Wear. Ah, how simple life would be. This is only partly a joke.

Bah, I can't wait to get back to Beantown. Life is so drab in Sloshkosh, where the only thing that ever changes is the "Flavor of the Day" at Culver's.

bitch for a day

It's dark, dank, and gloomy out... perfect day to blog.

So I woke up this morning to my parents being really pissed that I had slept in until 10:30... apparently it's unnatural to stay up until midnight or later. My dad wants me to go to bed before 11pm every night from now on. Not happening... have we heard of a little something called college? Whatever. I had a rough night and my eyeballs almost fell out, I woke up at 6 in the morning and felt like crap, and I still do, so I have an excuse to sleep in.

Side topic: I've realized that I don't really have much of a filter when I get really emotional. I do say the things I'm thinking, which means I am being honest, but not rationally so. Which is really unfortunate, because I probably don't actually mean any of these things and end up regretting even mentioning them. This happens on a daily basis. One thing about me is that I save my emails and Facebook messages and AIM logs and such, and occasionally reread them for funsies. Sometimes not-so-funsies. Christine, if you happen to still read this (and I don't blame you if you don't because it's getting a little annoying even for me), I'm really sorry for potentially making you feel awful. Because I said some really shitty things that I didn't mean because I happened to be excessively hormonal at the time. I guess it's kind of silly to mention it now because we can probably just laugh about how young and naive we were back then. But I'm glad we get along swimmingly now :-)

I remember when I first got this blog, courtesy of an idea from Patt, we had the following conversation:
P: me and imaly decided youre probs going to be way more intellectual than us
A: pfff hwhy?
P: bc youre cooler and smarter than us
A: ok well that may be true, but... BAHA jplay

Our names spell "PAPA." Excellent. But anyway, these fellas are way awesomer than me, and I personally think that Imaly's blog is way more intellectual than mine. Soooo the reasoning was off, but my blog did end up being excessively teen-angsty despite my personal resolve to make it funsy and whatnot. I did a lot of stuff in the beginning with my musical tastes and Bostie pictures, but now that the newfangledness of it all has worn off, I've reverted back to my natural talent: being angsty. Which sucks, because I don't want to seem like one of those emotion-ridden teens who can't talk about anything besides stupid, angsty FEELINGS. Courtesy of stupid, angsty hormones. Ugh, I wish I was a boy sometimes. I wish I were a boy sometimes? I know not. The point is, (and Michelle and I agreed on this) we need to stop caring too much about people and just be a little more self-indulgent. There. I said it.

So on a more pleasant note (pun fully intended), I've taken to playing the piano recently. Chopin's Nocturnes and Beethoven's Sonata Pathetique have been occupying my musical endeavors for the most part. I miss piano a lot, but I don't miss the pressure that went along with it... so I'm glad I quit when I did and now I can fully enjoy playing without having to worry about practicing a certain amount every day. It took up so much of my life with nothing to show for it, besides actually enjoying it now. Which I feel could have been accomplished by just tinkering around with it and listening to lots of classical... so much for WMTA.

Anyway, I get my wisdom teeth out tomorrow, which is gonna suck. My mom thinks I'll be able to eat the next day. Cross your fingers, mommy. At least I like yummy drinks. Also I'll have a lot of time to sit in bed and read without being bothered by anyone. I'm fully equipped with George Orwell's 1984, some good Thomas Hardy, and The Bell Jar. Score.

dying is quite fine

Heeeeeeeeeeeeey, brother. So once again, it's about that time of month. Blog time!

What have we here? Yes, I just finished up my 10-week experience labbing it up with the BME department, and I've just returned to my home-sweet-home up here in the good ol' Midwest. Speaking of traveling, I am BEYOND FREAKING EXCITED for Dresden in the spring. The other day I was googling "top 10 places to visit in Europe" and I am FREAKING OVERWHELMED by how much stuff I want to do and how many countries I want to explore. I have approximately two weeks to travel the continent as I please, and I know I definitely want to make stops in France(!), Italy, Spain, and obviously Germany. How many countries can we get through in two weeks? Apparently we might also go to England and/or Croatia. Possibly. SO EXCITED!

However, I don't want to run willy-nilly all over Europe and see too many places without stopping to really enjoy them. That gives us a little bit of a limit here. But I was talking to my parents about it today and they said that maybe I should just take the entire summer off and stay a few weeks there after my semester is over, just so I can relax and travel at my own pace. I might need people to join me though... any takers?

So yeah, this is a picture of the Plitvice lakes in Croatia... doesn't it look AMAZING? Blagh I am dying inside just looking at it.

Now go to this website: http://www.bu-dresden.de/
Scroll down and click on "Details" for any of the three dorms listed. Do this OR ELSE. Then click on the "Photos & Plans" tab and take a virtual tour! Then tell me if it does not look absolutely awesome (especially if you have ever lived in Warren Towers).

In other news: I went to this free concert last weekend; it was the Best Music Poll: Boston edition. So a lot of people were there, including Passion Pit and Metric. But also there was Ra Ra Riot, whose song "Dying is Fine" became quite a hit with me. Let's just say it tickled me pink. Listen!

just some thoughts

Hello blog. It's been a long long while. Let's catch up.

So it's been a trend that I always write about things are on my mind at the moment. As nonspontaneous as I am in all my decision-making, I do live quite in the present, you see. Once upon a time, not too long ago, I argued the pointlessness of making friends. Yes, quite a difficult argument to back up at the time, but I just didn't see the purpose of investing time and energy into people who were just going to leave you at some point or other. Silly as the show was, the CW's One Tree Hill had at least one valid point: People always leave.
Not being the most religious person around town, I admit that the only meaning I've found thus far in life comes from the interactions and connections I've made with my fellow humans. But humanity and I have some sort of love-hate relationship, and I can never seem to fully figure it out. At some points, I think I've managed to wrap my head around it, but I always somehow end up in the same place: wondering what the hell I can do for other people and what the hell they can do for me.
They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. But it also makes the heart forget. I don't ever want to forget. Anything. Especially the people that I've known, and people that have changed me. But I know I will. And it's inevitable that they will too. I have to forgive them for that, but it's hard. I've gone back to that spot where you just sit and ask yourself, What can I do that will make it worth it for someone to have known me? It's true. I get wayyy too emotionally invested and attached to people. Once in a blue moon, it's really really worth it. Most of the time you just wonder why on earth you care so much.
And somehow, that's all I can do. That's all I know: to live and feel so deeply that the words are slow and heavy coming out, that all the pain is tangible, that a radiating understanding and compassion for humanity is always there, somewhere underneath all those dark layers. That's all I'm feeling right now. Very very layered, just a little dark, and extremely torn.

fromage

Hi guys. So it's been about a week since my last post, and I thought it was about time for an update, even though there's really not much to say... Hold that thought. Maybe there is. Just maybe.

I'm doing a very select few things right now. I am making a weird facial expression. I am uncrossing and recrossing my legs. I am lamenting the food in the dining hall. I am listening to Patt's birthday CD mix (happy face!) I am procrastinating on the presentation/science-y talk that I have to give on Thursday and Friday. The end.

One more thing: I am awaiting the premiere of the Harry Potter movie. T-minus five hours.

I am reading Toni Morrison's Beloved. Not at this precise moment. Still. A couple of weeks ago, I discovered that I was nowhere as literate as I thought myself to be. And, being an elitist, this greatly lowered my esteem of myself... self-esteem, if you will. This revelation, that I--of all people--lover and champion of literature, was not well-read in the least, was saddening by all means. That day, I picked up Barnes and Noble's list of "classics." The list is not exhaustive, no sir and no ma'am, but it gives me somewhere to start, eh? I'd still like to think, though, that despite my lack of quantity in the books I have read, I got as much and more out of them than the average reader. I connect with characters, and words (pretty words). I am beholden to the kindly people who author these beautiful concoctions, these strings of arbitrary letters that fuse together in some sort of meaning or un-meaning that nevertheless tug at my heartstrings and often tear them. Pain, beautiful and delicious, heartfelt, realer than life. What an irony, eh?

Enough of that. The point is this: I love books. Hence the reading. There's nothing sexier than being literate.

Anyway, can't wait for Michelle and Imaly to come this week... it's going to be awesome, I firmly believe! Now, off to that presentation! Mayhaps.

menz and boyz

So I remember being really excited to blog about something a couple days ago, but now that I actually have the time to do it, I forget what I wanted to say in the first place. No matter.

I've been thinking lately that I need a man. Or at least want one. Anyone who has been near me in the past couple of weeks knows this. Or anyone who watches the Bachelorette and talks about it with me. Yes, I watch the Bachelorette. Feel free to judge me now.
Well I know most of you are probably tired of hearing this by now, but I'm not expecting any sympathetic responses; I just want to say it and have physical proof that I said it. I feel like I am fun enough and awesome enough to deserve the affections and attentions of a boy. Man. Man-boy. Whatever you choose to call it. Sure, I'm very academically focused and serious about goals, and I'm decently well-read and cultured, but I don't think that should matter at all in this situation. Somehow, though, I get the impression (and I have evidence to back this up) that people find me too judgmental and intimidating. In other words, I have standards. Boys, men, are afraid they won't be able to live up to this, perhaps?

I have no idea. Because honestly, am I that hard to get along with? Really, guys? Gah. I guess it is a little strange, and potentially off-putting, because I'm not looking for a fling or anything. Obviously. But I do want fun, and humor, and to feel comfortable... you know, outside of regular friendship. I admit that I do have far more female friends than male, and although I have tons of fun with them, it's not necessarily a good thing. Too many hormones in one room. Guys are more chill, not uptight, fun to joke with, and they don't take things as seriously. I think I need that as a balancing force. Because I can be really super fun and funny, it's just that some people don't get to see that part of me.

So now I'm seriously considering deleting this, because of course I reread it and I sound like a complete goon who is waaaaay too desperate for some affection. But that's who I am right now. Only not that desperate... ;-) Still goonish.
Yes, yes, the topic is superficial, but I feel like I'm in a bit of a teen angst phase and I deserve to be, for now. Hopefully the next post will be better. Bahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

singin' in the rain

Lalala. July!

So it's officially summer (or has been for quite some time... even if our weather does not acknowledge this) and this reminds me of none other than SUMMERY MUSIC and la-dee-da-ing.

Let's pick 10 random--or not so random--songs that I love to listen to in the month of July:

1. A Sunday Smile, Beirut
Conveniently, this is always the first song on my shuffle list. If you haven't heard Beirut, I do recommend trying them out for a spin. Yes, they are--like much of my musical choices--highly instrumental and folksy. However, even if you aren't really into that sort of stuff, folksy = summery in my book, and this unique little mélange of a song might really tickle your fancy. Who knows?

2. Marching Bands of Manhattan, Death Cab for Cutie
I'd have to say that I got really into Death Cab late-ish in my junior year, and haven't really gotten into any of their new stuff since. This song from '05, though a bit more mainstream-sounding than I typically like, is reminiscent of Death Cab the way I knew/know them. A.k.a. slightly reminiscent of The Postal Service. Which I am told is because they have/had the same lead singer. They could still sound different, right? Anyway, give it a listen.

3. Some of Them Were Superstitious, Midlake
So as far as I know, I may be the only person who has ever heard of Midlake. But I enjoy them IMMENSELY, especially this song, which, as I may have mentioned to some people, makes me feel like I am on LSD. Actually I have no idea what that feels like, but it sounds like what I imagine it might feel like. Anyway, this song is highly unique and has been a consistent favorite of mine. And, seeing as no one I have ever talked to in person has heard of this band, I suggest to all you readers out there (if you're still out there) to definitely give this one a go.

4. The Bandit Queen (with "Dialogue" and "Tap Dancing"), The Decemberists
Yes, in fact, my blogging identity is inspired by this very song, which is by far one of my favorites from the well-esteemed group The Decemberists. I beseech you to listen to not only this song, but also many others from this staple of indie/folk rock lovers' playlists. This particular song makes me feel very piratesque (that's a word?!), a word (apparently) that also reminds me of their album Picaresque. That's beside the point. Nonetheless, a very playful little ditty with some interesting instrumental parts (and tap dancing!)

5. The Blower's Daughter, Damien Rice

I'm personally surprised that the music of this Irish folk rocker isn't more popular. His stuff is acoustically and lyrically lovely. If nothing else, he often features a female backup singer (this part always blows me away), and "The Blower's Daughter" has some lovely cello parts. The video, which is apparently "official," is kinda nice too, as it features deliciousness in the forms of one Jude Law, the ever-sexy Clive Owen, Damien Rice himself (scruffy = yummy), and of course the lovely Natalie Portman. Oh yeah, and I guess Julia Roberts and that random singer girl. Oops. Yes, yes, shots from the movie Closer, which I would like to see sometime in the near future. Moving on.

6. Think I Wanna Die, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
I can't say that I still love, or ever loved, Boris Yeltsin, but apparently someone does. This song is typical Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, and as such, is fun and has dance-y potential. Also, you can hear the words! I saw them live this past year, and they were good (and very sweaty... sorry!) but you couldn't hear the lyrics as well, so that's an upside to listening "unlive."

7. Swing Swing, All American Rejects
Definitely the outlier of this set, this song has always gotten me super excited. I think it feeds to my life-long aspiration to learn the drums. I rock out without fail to this song. Also, the theme of lost love and heartbreak always draws me in. Muahaha. That, there, was a joke if you didn't catch it.

8. Resurrection Fern, Iron and Wine
Iron and Wine is some sort of heaven-sent gift that I probably don't deserve. Nevertheless, I am completely and utterly obsessed with this "band" (?), a.k.a. Sam Beam, who has the voice of an angel and sounds absolutely amazing live (from the recordings I've heard). Oh boy. This one, "Resurrection Fern," is for summer evenings when the sky is turning red and a slight breeze disturbs the reflection of the sunset over the water. It's definitely in my top 5 songs as of right now. P.S. Just because Twilight used a lovely song by Iron and Wine (at the behest of Kristen Stewart) in their lame attempt at a movie, does not mean that the band or the song is corrupted in any sense. Even if we all hate (sorry, "greatly dislike") Kristen Stewart, at least we know she has semi-decent musical tastes.

9. Know Your Onion, The Shins
This song popped my Shins cherry. I can't really say much else about it, except that if you like The Shins, this one's a real treat. A good running song too!

10. Blue Eyes, the Cary Brothers (Garden State soundtrack)
I bought the Garden State soundtrack last month and I've been listening to it, basically nonstop, lately. I'm not exactly sure why I like this song so much, but I do. Plus obviously I couldn't put up another Shins or Iron and Wine song, so that limited my options. Not really. This soundtrack is filled with goodies!

Looks like that's it. That took much longer than expected... someone better read this!

where it's at

Hello homies.

Wow. It seems like it's been a while since my last rendezvous with this bloggy-blog, so here we are. I've realized that I usually like to blog on sunny days. As it must with most people, the weather really determines my mood most of the time, and as such, I have been quite down for the past couple of weeks. Barring a few key exceptions, which I will outline later.

But yes, SUN! I saw the forecast yesterday and humbly prepared by going to bed early (yes, I was in bed by 11:15 and asleep soon after, Wegs!) with the intent of getting to the lab early and finishing early and going outside before dark! Alas, I slept through all FOUR! of my alarms. But still managed to wake up at 8:15, an hour after I had planned. But then we decided to run Western blots--yes, the devil process--today again, but I managed to slip out at five for dinner and finish up the blot by 6:30-ish. And then I went running!!!!!

It was a good run; I did my usual loop around the Charles, which is about three and half miles. And when I say usual, I mean that I've only done it a handful of times. Still. I get prouder and prouder of myself every time. I just have to be consistent about doing it. I want to run four miles every other day if possible. Motivation needed. Good weather would be nice.
So after my run, I sat at the BU beach and watched the sun set. Two words, because the sun was in the act of setting, and I watched that. I was there for almost an hour. For the longest time, I thought to myself, If this isn't nice, I don't know what is. A tribute to my buddy Kurt Vonnegut, whom I call a buddy--even though we never met in person--because we met through his books and I give him the respect that I would give to a buddy. Fun fact: I do not know how to use the word "whom."
Two girls were laying on the beach writing in notebooks. After a while I heard one reading to the other what she had written. I couldn't really make out the exact words, but it sounded good. She was really into it. It was quiet. It looked like something I would like to do.
It was nice looking out over the water, which was slowly turning a very purposeful shade of yellow, nearing orange but not quite there. I'm still not convinced it's a real color. The river changed its character, made it a little darker. I've never seen that hue before; I should go out more often.

Anyway, I realized again today how different I've become over this past year. I think it's just being here that changed me. It's strange because I feel like I fit here, because things move so rapidly that you barely have time to acknowledge them before they're gone. I am very fast-paced person, I admit, and it's strange and interesting that living in a setting that moves as quickly as I do actually makes me slow down and look around and stop to smell the roses and appreciate things more. You know, living life... that's where it's at.

But yes, wrapping up now. I promised to tell you all about the things that made my week--maybe more than my week--really really good. 1: DRESDEN!!! Yes, I am going, yes, I am going to have a blast, YES, I will travel Europe! It is most excellent. 2: Wegs and I got Mr. Meanie Housing Manager to agree to let us room together!!! Actually it was mostly Wegs sending him a very curt and polite email in which we threatened to send our thug friends after him if he didn't change the assignment. And we didn't even have to pretend to be lesbians after all...

That's all for tonight, folks!

t-minus one week

Greetings, Earthlings. So after much pressure from one Shellykins, I have decided to write a brief post to appease you all, dear devoted readers. Short and hopefully sweet.

It is Sunday. This we all know. However, what you all may not realize is that this particular Sunday is of great hidden significance. Forgive me. Not so hidden. Yet in exactly one week, I shall have a few fellow 9Bers actually living in close proximity to me! This is exciting because right now I feel like I have no friends on campus, which is a legitimate and true statement, and I spend my evenings whittling away time watching Arrested Development and Flight of the Conchords, and bothering people on AIM. Not to mention blogging.
Nothing wrong with all of that, of course. But it would be nice to have some company to share it with, hence my eager anticipation for the arrival of Wegs and Sarita. Strangely, it is also supposed to be beautiful weather for their arrival, and after two weeks of on-off rain, this is much welcomed.
This is from when it was actually nice out. As in, the same day I went out to the dock. Also, the bad weather has been making me fatter, since I really do lack motivation on rainy days to go running through puddles. Hopefully that ends soon, as a group of us are planning to go swimming at FitRec to work out! Hurrah.

I've been reading "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac recently, and can't wait to finish it. I hate doing a half-assed job, and so I can't just put it down now that I'm a hundred pages in. It's not that bad, but I can't stand reading for too long without some sort of major plot action or surprising character development or something that directly challenges me to think. I think I've gotten severely worse with this since Lit class senior year, but I suppose that is also my Entitlement-era ADD kicking in. Sigh. What I really want to read is both the English and original French versions of "The Fall" or "La Chute" by Albert Camus. Damn, how I love the Frenchies. So provocative are they.

Aight, well I'm gonna peace out now, Cub Scouts. Enjoy your Sunday evening.

granny smith

Hola, my amigos! It's been a while since I've written anything and (since Imaly just so kindly reminded me) I should probably update all you keen listeners/readers on my ever-so-interesting life!

Well TGIF for one! I was just on the phonesies with ze father, who confirmed that it is indeed Thursday, which means that tomorrow is Friday, which means free breakfast for me and also the weekend soon! I actually got results in my experiment yesterday, which was exciting. We just don't know if they're good or bad results. Lalala. But hopefully I will be transfecting DNA tomorrow, which sounds exciting and badass. I hope it is.

So speaking of the weekend, I want to do fun things this weekend... except it's freaking rainy! What ever shall I do? Mayhaps I will go back to Newbury Comics and return the Iron and Wine CD I bought last weekend... because Shelly got me the same CD! Yay I can't wait to listen to it!

Blegh. Well I should get to bed soon. Grandma time!

cruisin' around, raisin' hell

Ah, the weekend! So I've been here two weeks now and I finally went out and did stuff that I wanted to do, since I have a buttload of free time on the weekends. Thankfully, it was beautiful out, sunny and high 60's and just a tiny hint of a breeze.
Oh yes, and I finally found the laundry machines. They're located in pretty much the creepiest place ever. Like horror movie creepy. Ooooh.

But anyway, I went for a run today, which really made me feel good. Even though my knees kinda killed at the beginning. But that's the thing about Boston: walking down the Esplanade, I see so many people running or rollerblading or biking or otherwise workin' on their fitness (he's my witness). And then I feel like crap if I'm not running (feel free to disagree here). I think it happens in just about every big city (the fittest city I've seen is San Francisco, where everyone is toned and tan). I'd like to think I could be the same. So the run made me feel a little more accomplished. I want to be able to do four to five miles by the end of summer. All you runners out there, yes, it sounds pretty pathetic, but it's a good goal for me.
Along the Esplanade, there's this new "Parcourse FitCenter" or something like that. There's some contraptions -- very simple ones, mind you -- set up there for people to do pull-ups and all sorts of other fancy exercises. I've never seen girls there. The guys I have seen there while running past have all been exceptionally built and good-looking. I should stop by more often. And that's one of the best parts of summer... guys taking off their shirts left and right. The only thing you have to watch out for on the Esplanade is old guys who have lost their shirts... ew. And so we try to ignore them.

I stopped at City Co. briefly on my way back from my run... got an iced tea. The guy at the counter called me "hun." I was a bit weirded out by that. Should I be weirded out by that? Anyway, I was sitting on a bench in the shade when this little bird, maybe a baby sparrow of some sort, popped out of nowhere. This bird did not walk. It hopped, very cute-like, in a semi-circle around my bench. Halfway around, pausing only a split-second and barely missing a beat, it popped out a miniscule little turd on the sidewalk. And then proceeded to continue being cute. I found it oddly funny. I guess you had to be there.

I went to Faneuil Hall later this afternoon, had some clam chowda, watched some street performers. They were this duo that did circus-like tricks, like juggling bowling pins and knives and such. And acrobatic stunts. They were pretty cute (looks AND personality, which is the best part). I gave them a dollar, which was surprising even to me. But mostly because they used this little kid (probably 5 or 6 years old) as a volunteer and basically made his day. He was very cute also. But not in the same way.
I got two CD's at Newbury Comics, both of which I am quite excited about. One is the Garden State soundtrack, which includes music by THE SHINS! Hooray. Then, there's The Shepherd Dog, an album from IRON AND WINE!!! which I am obsessed with. Also I reconnected with my old Coldplay CD that I bought in the fall with Wegs. Lots of listening tonight.

Mhm mhm. And now I have returned from my epic journey to my good ol' computer. It has been a good day. Doing some light reading on the BU Beach tomorrow if weather allows? Mayhaps.

Loveliness in the outsidesies

Happy Friday, all! So I got done around five with my stuff at the lab. Busy days, todee and yesterdee. And then today, at the end of a two-day Western blot process, we found out that something was either wrong with the protein concentration of the samples or the chemicals we used. Two days of work out the window. We try again on Monday. Sigh.

But on the bright side (literally), after it had been pouring basically the whole day today, when I got outside it was so sunny and warm! Silly sun, where have you been? So naturally I decided to go to Warren for dinner. Dirty hippie smoothie guy was there. As always. He was at the cheesy strange chili potato station. I had one, just to appease him. He made one especially for me. I HOPE PATT READS THIS. She will be nodding her booty in approval.
There was also this "sweet Thai stir fry" at the next station. I do not think they meant for it to rhyme. Dirty hippie smoothie guy was not at that station. But I got one anyway. The tofu was squeaky. I am convinced it is from an alien planet. It's always so... squeaky. I get it sometimes anyway.

So after din-din, I went to check my mail. Sadly (this is very sad actually), I had no mail! My roommate had one letter, but it was from the bank. So I didn't feel so bad. Actually I still felt like crap. But not like really old, smelly crap that's disgusting. Just like crap sitting on the sidewalk with no one to notice it or send care packages to it.
Then I went to the library. It was closed. This was really bumming. Blimey. I really wanted to get some Toni Morrison to read. Alas.

I feel like I am telling a children's story with this post. I don't particularly care.
I took a venture down the Esplanade.
This is from where you just get off the walkee bridge:

I think that's the boathouse. It's either MIT's or BU's but I can't remember. I walk down there, on the other side of the river, a lot when I'm feeling fit. I think it must be BU's because it looks semi-nice. Lalala.

So then, if you walk down a little further, there's this little dock thingy (it's not a dock but whatevs) that I like to sit on when it's sunny. I only just discovered it last week when I was running. Even though I must have run past it all the time with Wegs and Angela. And when I say all the time, I mean kickball. Actually I mean the four or five times I actually ran during the school year. Ha.


Here's a nice view from the dock:

It's Bostie! I know everyone reading this wishes they were here... with me! Well, maybe some of you will come visit me soon. Hint. HINT.

So anyway, I should save some more pictures for the next time I post, which will probably be sometime this weekend, knowing my penchant for boredom. Penchant is not the right word. Eh.

Toodles for now guys! (Shout out to Imaly for the word toodles. I hope she's reading this :-D)

sitting inside with fake lights

Bonjour, mes amis! So yet again, I've fallen prey to the seemingly annual temptation of blogging. When I was starting this sucker up, in fact, I came upon one of my old blogs. One post, and no more. Hopefully this one will live to see another day... I am actually guessing that it will, because it's SUMMER! which means nice weather (except not this week. or next, apparently) and lazing around and the ill-welcomed boredom that accompanies a lack of work.

Not that I haven't been working, of course! But my daily routines are very science-y. Interesting, yes, but science-y nonetheless, and when I get back to the dorm, all I want to do is spend some quality time with the good ol' Internet. Hence why my eyes are always shot by the time I decide to turn in for the night. Bah, I shall need laser surgery soon.

So, looking over what I've written thus far, it's been a rather uneventful first post. As all first posts are, undoubtedly. But I've already been under some pressure to be "intellectual" in this blog... the fact is, my life is just as boring as anyone else's. Which is why these blog things never work. I never have anything worthwhile to say! Imagine that!

Right now, I am listening to Iron and Wine's song "Naked as We Came," or in Patt's words, "the naked song." Which reminds me that she also dubbed Iron and Wine to be "summery music." I'm not sure if I agree... this song at least reminds me of a rainy day. I guess rainy days can be summery too, especially right now, since we're due to have rain/thundershowers for the next 6 days. Sadness. This is not how summer is supposed to be!
Now I am listening to Belle and Sebastian, which I think is actually summer music. They're mellow, which I like (everyone who has talked to me a lot this summer is telling me to get on with it now) and they have both happy and sad songs, which I also like! So the happy songs by them are like "yo I'm driving down the highway wid my arm out da window and it's a great summer day! lalala." And the saddish songs are for when you're sitting on the doorstep and it's starting to cool down and the sun is setting but the rays are still hitting half of your face, and you're just like "hmmm. life."

So here I am, thinking "hmmm. life." And my eyes are shot.