Let It Snow (Parmesan) Baby, Let it Reindeer (Sausage)

If Matt Thiessen ever is really bored (which I doubt he is) and happens to read my blog (which I doubt he would), I am talking about pizza. Why? I don't know...I just wanted to show off my flashy phrase, I thought of it yesterday when Krystie and I were at Me-n-Ed's Pizzeria, although it would be more fitting for Klondike's...yes, anyway...

To start off, I just need to say that yesterday was a gorgeous day. Gorgeous! Fluffy white and gray clouds in the sky, a nice breeze, and the sun warm to contrast the cool breeze. It was an utterly satisfying departure from the normal Santa Maria bare blue sky and still warm air.

Let's recap the last week, shall we? Hmm, I forgot the last time I wrote, but last Thursday was Eric's birthday...then Saturday Krystie and I took him to Chef Rick's and surprised him in the afternoon with a party at Waller Park. It was lots of fun (I have pictures on my Myspace and Facebook). Then almost immediately after Krystie, Karyn, and I drove down to Ventura at supersonic speed to catch a show at the Ventura Majestic Theater. There were a lot of bands there, but the main highlights were seeing Venomous Voices (actually a hip-hop act, if you can believe it), Callista (the reason Krystie and Karyn were there), and Brainspoon (my personal favorite). It was awesome. I'll write more about them later.

Actully, going to go for now but will write more later as I have a whole lot more to say.

~VL~

Staring at the Ceiling Fan

You may think, "How boring!" but at the moment my room is a welcome retreat from the week and the coming weekend. Yesterday was Eric's birthday, so Krystie and I spent the day with him to celebrate...but the real festivities are tomorrow! Chef Rick's for lunch will be so tasty. Then later on Krystie and I are going down to Ventura to see seven bands...seven! I only know one of them, Callista...and Krystie just introduced me to them. Sunday will be non-stop hectic like always.
Yesterday and today are also noteworthy because I got to talk to two friends- David, from Australia, and Uli, from Germany- on the phone! It's been a while, and even though we write consistently, it was so good to hear their voices!
Well, I better get going- tonight I'm giving my first piano lesson! Krystie's excited too...I think...she's my guinea pig... :)

Still wishing for that rain!

~VL~

The Comic Says it All

Well, like the title (and the comic), you may assume the same thing about an English degree. I'd agree with you...mostly. Except now I'm seriously considering it for my degree from Hancock. Why the heck would I do that, you may ask? Well, I want to graduate this year...and the core classes for International Studies just look tedious. Two economics, one world geography, one business, and two history course? It would be the definition of misery, forcing myself through those subjects, even if only for a short while. But English is more than fun to me- I love it. And, it gives me plenty of room to take my required Math class sometime within the next two terms (winter and spring). So yay. I can totally do this.
In my anthropology class this week, I've been seriously motivated to do some research on possible careers in the linguistics/anthropology/languages realm. This class has been very fun so far, but nothing compared to the way I lit up when we started discussing linguistics on Monday. After class I discussed this with my teacher, Pat, and he had to break it to me that unless I'm a female contemporary of Noam Chomsky, I'd likely find my career in academia. This proves interesting to me- I never have felt like I'd enjoy teaching. But it's something to think about.
Well, it's off to history class pour moi- I really like the teacher, and the topics we're covering are very interesting. I found pre-college history material banal (you can take that one of two ways), since there's only so many ways you can write a grade school, middle school, and high school textbook...but this college one (1877 to the present) is quite handy in size and writing style.
After class, it's off to Lompoc with Krystie to see Eric and maybe Mike. Ah, the socialite I am becoming...not.

~VL~

Tra La La

For those consistent readers out there (hi Grandma), I thought it would be good to write a bit of an update to keep you all in the loop. I really haven't been up to much today- all the stress from this week boiled up to the weekend, so I did absolutely nothing besides homework, read, and listen to Christopher Parkening (glee!). Oh, and I've been doing a bit of thinking too. About "seas and ships and sealing wax, and cabbages and kings" (now you know one of the books I was reading today...). Meaning it was all random, but all important to stop and think about nonetheless. For example, bends in the road of Life. I don't want to get too artsy here (I'm all prose, really- to be poetic goes against my nature and probably my scope of abilities). But life isn't exactly at a high point right now.

I'll elaborate more soon.

Something's Wanting...

...And I can tell you exactly what it is- a good storm. As David said today, "I'm not surprised. A storm to clean everything away, like a spring clean to make everything anew." I just crave one so badly! It's been too sunny, too warm. The last few days it's been slightly better, the sky staying more gray and cloudy longer...but I want rain (yes, Mom, I have the "I want-sies")! Guess it's time to go back to Germany...sigh. Or Colorado, apparently-Gary just told me that it's pouring rain there. Grr...
On the upper hand, my favorite time of year is coming- autumn and winter! Thanksgiving and Christmas! Pumpkin and cinnamon! I'm so happy, and I won't lie- I'm listening to Matt Thiessen croon some Christmas tunes right this instant (don't judge me, I can start the holiday tunage whenever I want!). In two months and six days it will be my birthday- ten days after that will be Thanksgiving- then I can "officially" bust out with the holiday goods! Oh I love it.

Here are some photos that have done my soul good today...

Finally Settling In, A Surprise, and an Aspiration

So I've finally settled in to a general routine of school and work for this semester. Getting up, catching the bus (my least favorite part of the day), going to class, studying in the Student Center, seeing the occasional familiar face, catching the bus, and going home. Mondays and Wednesdays I have Cultural Anthropology, Logic, and U.S. History 1877 to the present... Tuesdays and Thursdays I have Personal Nutrition. A pretty exciting course load, and it should be easily taken care of as long as I'm on my toes in regards to getting homework done... I do hate homework...however, I can keep it up, because...dun dun dun...
I get to graduate from Hancock this year! I just checked with my counselor and it's official- International Studies! I'm excited. I'll have to put the pedal to the metal in terms of taking classes over the winter, and taking a heavy load (18 units) in the spring, but it should work out perfectly.
So, with all this craziness, you'd probably figure that diving back into academia in the summer would be the furthest thing from my list of to-dos. Au contraire, mes amis! I'm hoping to take on a seven-week summer program at Harvard to study Chinese. I've had somewhere in the back of my mind the idea of taking at least some sort of course at an Ivy League school but alas, don't nearly have the funds or the resume. So, it's hi-ho, off to Harvard I go next summer- maybe...

~VL~