Thursday, May 27, 2004
Well, I have returned! Five days in Texas with Rich, the Bro. Well, sort of. It was kind of short notice so he couldn't get off work very much. As a result, a good part of my trip took place in their apartment with da dawgs, Brody and Doc. Hey, still better than being alone in Delaware! Doc is even more feisty than last time I saw him..it seems like he will take any chance he can get to try to rip brody's head off. But Brody is a LOT bigger than Doc, so Doc usually gets pummeled when all is said and done. Well, it wasn't very eventful, but we still got to have some fun...we went ice skating a bit, went out to eat at one of Texas's infamous restaurants, and I brought Matrix 2 and 3 for Rich and Steph to see. Unfortunately, Steph was at school and therefore stuck with homework. Blah blah! It was fun going down to celebrate my brother's birthday though...he liked the Phillies t-shirt I got him.
Steph had picked me up at the airport, and the cell phone came in handy because we had trouble finding each other. At one point, I stepped outside, and she thought I was inside...she said, "Some blonde in tight jeans just walked into the door, look for her". I was outside, turned around, and yes, there was a hot blonde walking into the door. Then Steph realized I was outside, and shouts, "Hey, I'm right behind you...1 car down!"
Once Steph picked me up, we spent the evening at Tom's (Steph's dad). We made an attempt to build a fire in the front lawn, to burn some wood from a cut down tree...after a whole case of matches we finally got it going! Guess us city folk have a lot to learn about starting a fire (at least when we want to...I'm not talking about the accidental grease fire that happened during beach week!) Anyway, eventually Rich arrived, and we had a little party for him, and then we watched the Flyers get beaten by Tampa (grr...go Calgary!). Third time in the last 2 years that a Philly team has gotten erased from the playoffs as a result of Florida! (Bucs, Marlins, and now the Lightning) Not that Virginia ever has any luck against Florida State either...
And of course, there were the horses...every day, we all went down to the horse pen to clean the muck out of the stalls (yes, it is like it sounds), and I did my best to attempt to ride King, which is supposedly their easiest horse to ride (at least easier than Sundance!) I had some trouble getting on King because my jeans were not flexible at all so I had trouble getting my leg over! Then when I tried to ride him, I was bounced up and down quite a bit! In my opinion, King wasn't really following what I was telling him to do, he was just following my brother around! Oh well...King's not my horse! Frankly, I don't think I'd be able to handle trying to raise a horse anyway! And after this trip, that notion has probably been reinforced!
Getting home was quite a mess. My flight from Houston to Atlanta got delayed about 45 minutes because of an "air traffic issue"...we got to Atlanta about 25 minutes or so before my connecting flight. When I got off the plane and entered the behemoth that is the Atlanta airport, I went as fast as I could to get to the terminal...I got there in time, but only to find out that the flight was delayed 2 hours! It turned out that not only was a new plane needed, but a new crew was needed! Some people asked the desk what was the reason for the delay, but apparently an "unacceptable answer" was given. Then the plane got delayed another 45 minutes because a crew flying in from Phoenix heard when they landed that they were being reassigned to fly us to Philly. Then, before they boarded our plane, the gate sign changed to say it was flying to Albany, NY! Eek! Someone came on the intercom and said that he was on the crew headed to Albany, and all of us Philly people just booed him! When we finally were boarding the flight, they called passengers by zone number...no one knew what to do because a guy at the adjacent terminal was calling the zone numbers for his flight, and no one knew which flight each voice was referring to. Sound chaotic the way I describe it? It was. We were scheduled for 6:45 takeoff or so initially, and ended up taking off at about 10:00. As we flew near Philadelphia, there was a lightning display from a storm nearby taking place in the upper clouds of the atmosphere (we were flying above the lower clouds). It was quite an incredible display, but at the same time, kind of scary since we were right next to it. We seemed to circle around for about 25 minutes before finally descending into the clouds to land. It must have been a ridiculously low cloud, because we were only several hundred feet above the ground when we could finally see out the window again.
So now, after several connecting flights, 3-4 hours in airport delays, and following highway signs that are impossible to read at night, I have arrived back in Delaware. Good timing too, because my folks are coming back from Italy today, and I need to be here to (hopefully) pick them up! Oh, and my grades are finally all in! Yay!
The question is back....now what??
Steph had picked me up at the airport, and the cell phone came in handy because we had trouble finding each other. At one point, I stepped outside, and she thought I was inside...she said, "Some blonde in tight jeans just walked into the door, look for her". I was outside, turned around, and yes, there was a hot blonde walking into the door. Then Steph realized I was outside, and shouts, "Hey, I'm right behind you...1 car down!"
Once Steph picked me up, we spent the evening at Tom's (Steph's dad). We made an attempt to build a fire in the front lawn, to burn some wood from a cut down tree...after a whole case of matches we finally got it going! Guess us city folk have a lot to learn about starting a fire (at least when we want to...I'm not talking about the accidental grease fire that happened during beach week!) Anyway, eventually Rich arrived, and we had a little party for him, and then we watched the Flyers get beaten by Tampa (grr...go Calgary!). Third time in the last 2 years that a Philly team has gotten erased from the playoffs as a result of Florida! (Bucs, Marlins, and now the Lightning) Not that Virginia ever has any luck against Florida State either...
And of course, there were the horses...every day, we all went down to the horse pen to clean the muck out of the stalls (yes, it is like it sounds), and I did my best to attempt to ride King, which is supposedly their easiest horse to ride (at least easier than Sundance!) I had some trouble getting on King because my jeans were not flexible at all so I had trouble getting my leg over! Then when I tried to ride him, I was bounced up and down quite a bit! In my opinion, King wasn't really following what I was telling him to do, he was just following my brother around! Oh well...King's not my horse! Frankly, I don't think I'd be able to handle trying to raise a horse anyway! And after this trip, that notion has probably been reinforced!
Getting home was quite a mess. My flight from Houston to Atlanta got delayed about 45 minutes because of an "air traffic issue"...we got to Atlanta about 25 minutes or so before my connecting flight. When I got off the plane and entered the behemoth that is the Atlanta airport, I went as fast as I could to get to the terminal...I got there in time, but only to find out that the flight was delayed 2 hours! It turned out that not only was a new plane needed, but a new crew was needed! Some people asked the desk what was the reason for the delay, but apparently an "unacceptable answer" was given. Then the plane got delayed another 45 minutes because a crew flying in from Phoenix heard when they landed that they were being reassigned to fly us to Philly. Then, before they boarded our plane, the gate sign changed to say it was flying to Albany, NY! Eek! Someone came on the intercom and said that he was on the crew headed to Albany, and all of us Philly people just booed him! When we finally were boarding the flight, they called passengers by zone number...no one knew what to do because a guy at the adjacent terminal was calling the zone numbers for his flight, and no one knew which flight each voice was referring to. Sound chaotic the way I describe it? It was. We were scheduled for 6:45 takeoff or so initially, and ended up taking off at about 10:00. As we flew near Philadelphia, there was a lightning display from a storm nearby taking place in the upper clouds of the atmosphere (we were flying above the lower clouds). It was quite an incredible display, but at the same time, kind of scary since we were right next to it. We seemed to circle around for about 25 minutes before finally descending into the clouds to land. It must have been a ridiculously low cloud, because we were only several hundred feet above the ground when we could finally see out the window again.
So now, after several connecting flights, 3-4 hours in airport delays, and following highway signs that are impossible to read at night, I have arrived back in Delaware. Good timing too, because my folks are coming back from Italy today, and I need to be here to (hopefully) pick them up! Oh, and my grades are finally all in! Yay!
The question is back....now what??
Thursday, May 20, 2004
One more thing...if anyone is interested in obtaining a copy of either my beach pictures or the baccalaureate pictures, please send me an email to let me know!
My patience is being highly tested right now to try to make it through this early part of the summer alone. Almost literally! My folks are in Italy, and UD is still in session! Despite trying to go to the Y and working for a few days at the museum, there's still a huge sense of emptiness...I got all of the pictures from the beach and from the baccalaureate service uploaded onto my computer after the camera crapping out on me once! Still, it is so hard to look at the pictures without a sense of loss...I know people always say you're not really saying goodbye, but that's not the way it feels right now. I feel the isolation laughing me right in the face, and all I can do is look at it and give it the old Lucy Liu-Ally McBeal growl!
Ugh...what am I doing? I see myself type this, and I say to myself what's the point of moping about this? I know, there isn't a point... Shoot, what happened to the old Sawblade that would take adversity head on? [Thinking for a few minutes] Oh, I guess it doesn't apply in this situation...there is no tangible obstacle or enemy for me to battle. The only way out is to wait.....
Well, maybe I am getting one step closer to the actual world. I've officially joined the 21st century and moved one step closer to becoming completely broke...I finally got a cell phone! Finally, now I won't feel like I'm the only person at UVA that doesn't have one! (Although I guess I'm not at UVA right now. Oops.)
I'm just trying to make it until Saturday morning...then it's off to Houston to go visit my brother. It's interesting what lengths people will go to in order to pass the time...I'm even watching playoff hockey. I've never been a hockey fan before, but this Flyers-Lightning series is really interesting. Although after watching the Flyers go a period of intense bashing of the Tampa players in game 5 without scoring a goal, and only finally getting a goal facing 2 minutes from elimination, it reminds me why I don't watch hockey very much. Hell of an overtime in game 6 though...Oh well...although if the Flyers can make it to the finals, I'm sure I'll be able to force myself to watch the games!
Ugh...what am I doing? I see myself type this, and I say to myself what's the point of moping about this? I know, there isn't a point... Shoot, what happened to the old Sawblade that would take adversity head on? [Thinking for a few minutes] Oh, I guess it doesn't apply in this situation...there is no tangible obstacle or enemy for me to battle. The only way out is to wait.....
Well, maybe I am getting one step closer to the actual world. I've officially joined the 21st century and moved one step closer to becoming completely broke...I finally got a cell phone! Finally, now I won't feel like I'm the only person at UVA that doesn't have one! (Although I guess I'm not at UVA right now. Oops.)
I'm just trying to make it until Saturday morning...then it's off to Houston to go visit my brother. It's interesting what lengths people will go to in order to pass the time...I'm even watching playoff hockey. I've never been a hockey fan before, but this Flyers-Lightning series is really interesting. Although after watching the Flyers go a period of intense bashing of the Tampa players in game 5 without scoring a goal, and only finally getting a goal facing 2 minutes from elimination, it reminds me why I don't watch hockey very much. Hell of an overtime in game 6 though...Oh well...although if the Flyers can make it to the finals, I'm sure I'll be able to force myself to watch the games!
Saturday, May 15, 2004
And so it ends. Today is Saturday the 15th, and we have all finally returned from beach week in Duck, NC. Granted, the last day didn't seem to count, since there were four of us left, my feet were sunburned so I couldn't go to the beach, and we watched Firefly for most of the day. Still, I really don't know how to sum up the week...trying to relax just felt like foreign territory to me considering the way I live. That's why it was cool to help Coley build his castle/fortress upon the sand, and I built the barrier/trenches/aqueducts, whatever you want to call it. The surf didn't get up high during the week, so it ended up holding its own throughout the whole week.
A bittersweet week it was. Amidst a near miss run in with another car, grease fires while trying to make fried ice cream, and possibly setting the world record for the number of scratches in pool when hitting another ball in, it was, indeed, a heck of a week. Great beach weather, going miniature golfing, playing N64, playing volleyball, watching movies, getting a bit of a tan, going running, swimming VERY briefly in a cold ocean that makes you lose all feeling (and then warming up by going in a pool of cool water), it was certainly an eventful week. Also, a sad week, realizing that it might be the last time I ever got to hang with Andrew, Elizabeth (whom I've always called Liz), and of course Ol Gampy! I think I'll probably miss Bethany and Caroline more than anyone, since I'll always be reminded of them living in the Moosetrap next year. I wish Lisa Fong was at the beach too; I would have liked to spend one last week with her. Oh well... I was glad to get away to the beach for a while, but I think I'm beached out. (But not a beached whale, as I was referred to by the oldest non-Joel there [until Matt arrived, anyway!] ).
I may write more about the beach later, but for now, I realize that I'm back in Charlottesville, the day before all the fourth years graduate. It's certainly incredibly hard to say goodbye to so many of my Wesley friends. It is absolutely brutal for me in the Foundation right now, setting up the tables and food for the graduating 4th years knowing that I may never see some of them again. It's also hard to accept that summer is finally here. I know what you're thinking, what do you mean it's hard to accept that summer is here? Because for everyone else who remains, I won't see them for a really long time. Kind of strange how secretly, you don't want the school year to end (because of friends, not classes!). Granted, I will be popping in and out of Charlottesville over the summer as the G-man and I move into the Moosetrap, but it's unlikely that I'll get a chance to see everyone when I come up.
The lawn is all set up for graduation; tomorrow zillions of people will flood it. A brass dectet (if there is such a word) is practicing a marching formation, 4th years are with their parents, getting their pictures taken in front of the rotunda, and I look on. I really don't want to leave right now, but I suppose I must. I await going back to Delaware, spending a few days with my folks, then going to visit my brother in Texas. Then, coming back for jury duty, and then my job starts.
A bittersweet week it was. Amidst a near miss run in with another car, grease fires while trying to make fried ice cream, and possibly setting the world record for the number of scratches in pool when hitting another ball in, it was, indeed, a heck of a week. Great beach weather, going miniature golfing, playing N64, playing volleyball, watching movies, getting a bit of a tan, going running, swimming VERY briefly in a cold ocean that makes you lose all feeling (and then warming up by going in a pool of cool water), it was certainly an eventful week. Also, a sad week, realizing that it might be the last time I ever got to hang with Andrew, Elizabeth (whom I've always called Liz), and of course Ol Gampy! I think I'll probably miss Bethany and Caroline more than anyone, since I'll always be reminded of them living in the Moosetrap next year. I wish Lisa Fong was at the beach too; I would have liked to spend one last week with her. Oh well... I was glad to get away to the beach for a while, but I think I'm beached out. (But not a beached whale, as I was referred to by the oldest non-Joel there [until Matt arrived, anyway!] ).
I may write more about the beach later, but for now, I realize that I'm back in Charlottesville, the day before all the fourth years graduate. It's certainly incredibly hard to say goodbye to so many of my Wesley friends. It is absolutely brutal for me in the Foundation right now, setting up the tables and food for the graduating 4th years knowing that I may never see some of them again. It's also hard to accept that summer is finally here. I know what you're thinking, what do you mean it's hard to accept that summer is here? Because for everyone else who remains, I won't see them for a really long time. Kind of strange how secretly, you don't want the school year to end (because of friends, not classes!). Granted, I will be popping in and out of Charlottesville over the summer as the G-man and I move into the Moosetrap, but it's unlikely that I'll get a chance to see everyone when I come up.
The lawn is all set up for graduation; tomorrow zillions of people will flood it. A brass dectet (if there is such a word) is practicing a marching formation, 4th years are with their parents, getting their pictures taken in front of the rotunda, and I look on. I really don't want to leave right now, but I suppose I must. I await going back to Delaware, spending a few days with my folks, then going to visit my brother in Texas. Then, coming back for jury duty, and then my job starts.
Tuesday, May 04, 2004
The one team I really can't root for this year in the playoffs is the Spurs. I know, I know...Tim Duncan and wake forest, but he's already won it. I've been rooting the Kings, Reggie Miller, and Karl Malone on for years...so for once, even though I can't stand Kobe, I'm rooting for the Lakers and Pacers. The Kings too, although they still have a future.
Sunday, May 02, 2004
Well, after seemingly millions of hours working on my CS project, I demo'd it for the second time (the first time I tried, it crashed, and I was both panicked and pissed). This time around, the TA says my numbers are still off, but hey, at least it didn't crash on me. It sucks that I couldn't make the program work the way I wanted it to, but at least I'm done with it. Man, an inch and a half thick binder worth of printed code...eesh. Well, the TA was impressed with the amount of extra credit I did. Hopefully that'll help me out some...now it's onto the final! I've got one...um...sort of under my belt (by that I mean it didn't go well, :-P). I'm just trying to hold on, as we all are...I can feel my mind breaking down on me. But I gotta believe I can keep going...I forced myself to keep going in that 10 miler, so I gotta believe I can force myself to keep going here.
I'm pissed at myself for putting so much work into school recently...I don't like being a hardcore academic. And even so, I'm way behind! I mean, when I was in a million different places at once mid-semester, I just wanted everything to be simpler, and I got my wish (but not the way I wanted it; more like how Brendan Fraser wished to be rich and powerful in Bedazzled and he got turned into a Colombian drug lord!). Man, being involved in everything this semester...LEAP, Hala's play, running, spring break, Backyard Mission, etc....it felt really great to be active, but I wonder if I'm paying for that right now. Granted, the only logic to this is that I could have used that time to try to get ahead in classes, but what are the chances that I would have tried to do that! But this lifestyle just sucks...so little time for anything, or anyone, other than school. I mean, I should be spending time with Brian, Andrew, the Lisas, Kristen, Caroline, Bethany, you know, the 4th years that are graduating that I may never see again. Granted, that's what beach week is for, but still...
I wish I could wish for it to all just go away, but then the result would be being trapped in boredom. I guess that's not much better, and it's certainly even more damaging to one's psyche than overworking oneself. Anyway, that's all I have to say right now...I have a take home exam to try to finish.
I'm pissed at myself for putting so much work into school recently...I don't like being a hardcore academic. And even so, I'm way behind! I mean, when I was in a million different places at once mid-semester, I just wanted everything to be simpler, and I got my wish (but not the way I wanted it; more like how Brendan Fraser wished to be rich and powerful in Bedazzled and he got turned into a Colombian drug lord!). Man, being involved in everything this semester...LEAP, Hala's play, running, spring break, Backyard Mission, etc....it felt really great to be active, but I wonder if I'm paying for that right now. Granted, the only logic to this is that I could have used that time to try to get ahead in classes, but what are the chances that I would have tried to do that! But this lifestyle just sucks...so little time for anything, or anyone, other than school. I mean, I should be spending time with Brian, Andrew, the Lisas, Kristen, Caroline, Bethany, you know, the 4th years that are graduating that I may never see again. Granted, that's what beach week is for, but still...
I wish I could wish for it to all just go away, but then the result would be being trapped in boredom. I guess that's not much better, and it's certainly even more damaging to one's psyche than overworking oneself. Anyway, that's all I have to say right now...I have a take home exam to try to finish.
