Pandas!

once again, i have slacked off on my blog...i've become a williams-sonoma slave. when i'm not slaving, i'm moving stuff into the apartment...more insightful things later.

for NOW, here is the coolest bread ever, courtesy of theresa salcedo: http://perfectpandas.com/2008/01/08/panda-bread/

For Paul: Dos and Don'ts for Jolly Old England

Worked again today. It's an exciting life I lead. The highlights of the day were selling an absurdly priced blender to some lady and watching Deadliest Catch. Titillating, isn't it?

I've decided to dedicate this post to my friend Paul G. I need to create some sort of guide for him so he won't end up the victim of the next Jack the Ripper when he moves off to jolly olde England. I will update it periodically, but today I will simply provide a list of do's and don'ts :)

-DO visit the parks. I love Kensington Gardens, which are basically part of Hyde Park now. It's where J.M. Barrie was inspired to write Peter Pan! There's even a statue of the character with Tink and such. In Hyde Park, you can rent row boats to putter about the Serpentine. (I've always wanted to do that!)

-DON'T get hung up on seeing the Changing of the Guard. Lot's of hoopla with little pay off.

-DO visit Brick Lane and the area of the city known as Banglatown. Check out the ethnic grocery stores and eat Indian food every chance you get! So good, better than in India Dad says. haha

-DON'T pay a ton of money on cabs. Maybe once for kicks to say you did it, but the Tube is fantastic. And walking is never bad, unless you're going far!

-DO go to the Tower of London, the British Museum, Westminster Abbey, and Hampton Court. Really. Multiple times, especially in the case of the British Museum.

-DON'T walk around barefoot! Acceptable in Williamsburg, but you'll get germs.

-DO go see some buildings designed by Sir Christopher Wren...oh the symmetry! The Wren Building to some Wren buildings! (St. Paul's, St. Bride's. and St. James's Picadilly for starters)

-DON'T give the peace sign. Pretty sure it's an offensive gesture over there.

-DO go to Covent Garden. Check out the performers, especially the musicians, and eat some pasties. I'm sure they have veggie ones! Maybe even speak in a fake cockney accent in honor of My Fair Lady.

-DO see a play at Shakespeare's Globe in Southwark.

-DO see plays in the West End. You can buy cheap tickets in Leicester Square.

-DO go to the Cheshire Cheese and have a pint. It's Dickens' old hang-out!

_DO go to Harrods. You don't have to buy anything. It's just awesome.

SO...

About that whole updating thing...my old computer got a bunch of viruses and kicked it. So now I have a brand new HP laptop! I love it...very glossy and fast.

Now working at Williams- Sonoma, and I love it! People are strange, but I love playing with all the pots, pans, cookie cutters, and finishing salts. Yes, it's bourgeois, and yes there are children starving in Africa, but I am a foodie and I am not ashamed. Though these customers who come and drop $700 on bowls and cheese knives need to get their heads examined. Yes, I'm talking to you, lady who owns Crane Paper Co.

In other news, my wonderful sister resuscitated my iPod! It's a Fourth of July miracle! It charges and works perfectly now...I have no idea how she did it. She's magical.

Had a great day yesterday at the Wampanoag Pow-wow and bopping around downtown with Kel. Bought some cute bee-motif wrapping paper at The Paper Tyger where Oolala used to be. I'm planning to use it to line the back of the built-in shelves in my room in the apartment. I've been fighting the urge to buy kitchen supplies at work, but I'll resist until I know what the roomies have/ want. Though I have my eye on some mixing bowls, measuring cups, measuring spoons, a teapot, Le Creuset stuff, and towels. Exciting, no?

Currently reading American Jezebel about Anne Hutchinson who my scholarship is named after. Pretty interesting stuff....and I figured I should give her some props since she's saving me a boatload! Anne, wherever you are, you are a BAMF.

Dreams

So a brief burst: I've decided that one day I will own my own event planning business specializing in wedding coordination. I'll do the lawyer schtick for awhile, but I don't know if my heart is in it. We'll see soon, shan't we?

I solemnly swear to update from now on.

Obsession

So I am officially done with my undergrad career. Which means we have time to kill and I have developed a new obsession: Showtime's The Tudors. I'm a sucker for historical fiction, and this is like history porn. LOVE IT.

Ready or Not

I'm ready to graduate methinks. I think if I were to stay, life would just stagnate. This kind of gives me pause about going to meet with the dean of admissions for W&M law tomorrow. I really do just want to go to RWU...I already have an apartment, a fantabulous scholarship, and I'll be so much closer to home. The opportunities are there, I just have to take advantage of them. Plus I think another 3 years in Williamsburg could be the death of me. It's not that its boring, because Bristol is no metropolis either...I think I've just been here, done that, bought the t-shirt. Which is kind of a refreshing realization. I hate that we are all scattering to the 4 winds on the one hand, but I know that we need to on the other. I mean Tom in Arizona, Ashlei in St. Louis, Clara and Paul in London, Ange and Katy and God knows who else in DC, Jules in Raleigh, Caroline in Poland, Natasha and Sarah in Norfolk, and me in Rhode Island. Thank God Kate and Kevin will be in Boston so I don't lose W&M connections completely. It's a new chapter...odd since college was as long as high school but seemed so much shorter. But I think I'm ready to turn the page.

Blowout Post Mortem

So, classes are over. At first I was uber-depressed about it, but now I'm gradually becoming more and more ready to move on. I'll still keep in touch with everyone I want to stay in contact with...it's time to go. And I think I'm actually going to be totally fine with having completed only 2/3 of the Triathlon. I can still die happy without streaking the Sunken Garden.

Yesterday was pretty sloppy...started the day with breakfast at Maggie's place out at Ludwell...pancakes, eggs, orange juice, and rum. Breakfast of champions. Then a nap because it was really much too early. Then we rang the Wren bell before a dumb sorority girl broke it and took lots of pictures. Got a taco from Operation Taco ie the awesome Methodists. Then went to the AMP office for a series of way too emotional toasts with the lovely Clara, Breah, Katy, Tom, Ashlei, Chris, Sean, Rini, and Sarah. Then toddled over to toast Landrum, Swem, and Millington 150. Then...DUPONT. Did it up with Ange, Kate, Caroline, Char, Julie, and Heather. Just like old times...we even got to go in our rooms <3. Then saw H's obnoxiously small single in Page, then Sunken Garden to return Olyvia's ID. The peppermint patty shots with the NKE seniors in Ewell and going to the school picnic. This was followed by an awesome Sister Hazel concert. Needless to say, I was smashed. Such a lightweight. Rounded the evening off with the Gentlemen concert and the IV Pancake House (+ last String Theory concert.) Busy day, but lovely. Didn't wake up today until 4pm, which is insanity.

Called Mom, and Mimi is thin and Pop Pop a bit better. Mom is getting them to eat though, and their neighbor brought over a TON of food. So hopefully things will improve in the Lone Star state.

Not particularly tired since I've been awake for a grand total of 9 hours, so I think I'll start Succeeding in Law School and Law School Confidential. In other news, I really need more meds. Egads.

Short

Allergies are making me feel poopy. Also, OCD is acting up and I had to reschedule my appointment with Dr. Noveras. Probably because I'm freaking about graduation, but it's wigging me out. Plus I'm out of Klonopin. Bah.

Took The Good Thief back to Swem because I wasn't feeling it. Got Sweetsmoke instead, which looks much better. Ran into Ange, and we're coordinating our Dupont toast for Friday. I'm getting pumped for Sister Hazel, too. Woop woop. And yay for no classes. Not that I've been going much anyways. Oops.

A-CHOO

Allergies....aaaaack. Also, spent an embarrassing amount of time on Pixie Hollow after reading about it on FML. I am officially too much of a little kid to graduate. Had two group projects today, a senior 20 days 'til graduation kickoff, and the 2nd day of 90 degree weather. Crazy! AND, tomorrow I'm getting my money in the mail so I can get out of debt. Life is good. Though sneezy.

Wanna Be On Top?

Didn't do nearly all I wanted do today. Managed to give Maggie her paints back, then got HIV tested at her AIDSTanzania event...negative! Phew. It's 90% accurate, so of course I'll worry about that 10%, but hey, I don't have HIV, so huzzah. Everyone should know their status! Then popped over to Homebrewaroo for our own mini-Woodstock. Cool glassblowing demonstrations, organic food, chill acoustic music, tie dying, and hippies. What more could you want? Oh, beautiful weather you say? GOT IT. In the 90s today, and not humid! I do wish I had gotten to go kayaking, but it's OK. Enjoyed the beautiful day anyway. Natasha came back from EVMS, so I'm not all alone anymore. Did a little bit of work for the group project meetings tomorrow. Gonna be so happy when those are done.

Watching ANTM marathon with the roomie, and they're in Barcelona. Makes me want to travel so badly! I've never been to Spain, and it just seems so great. Makes me excited for study abroad in law school in Lisbon and London! I'll need to pick up some Portuguese! And Spanish really for that matter. It is definitely going to be international law for me, even if it's something else with an international bent. I could never not travel.

In other news, the flowers in the room are attacking! Nat and I are sneezing machines, but they're too pretty to throw out! Oh the trials of witnessing beauty ;)

Um We Sort of Got Lost in Amsterdam...er, Richmond

Concert was great! I am SO glad I don't go to University of Richmond though lol. Those kids are too materialistic for their own good! Got to see Kelly, though, so yay. The little and I had a crazy time trying to get there, asked for directions a total of 5 times. That plus a gas and Taco Bell stop got us to the venue just in time. We were right in front. And they played Demons!!!!!!!!!!!! I died. Also played: Fa Fa, Center of Attention, Happier, Diane, Amsterdam, Jesus on the Radio (Daddy on the Phone), Come Downstairs and Say Hello, One Man Wrecking Machine, Satellite, Manifest Destiny, The Captain, The Beginning of the End, and others I'm probably forgetting. Good stuff.

Roomie and suitemates gone for the weekend, so I will have to amuse myself. And do work. Earth Day celebration is tomorrow, and I want to go kayaking or do the yoga session in the Crim Dell meadow....promised to do the HIV testing for AIDSTanzania, then DoubleTake at 4 and UVB at 7. Something will get sacrificed. And I need to go to the post office and bank, too. Hmm.

Guster Gushing

Listening to Guster in anticipation for the concert tomorrow...even though I've sen them in concert before, I'm pumped about this. I became a more avid fan after the first time, so I'll actually have emotional connections to different songs. You know what I mean?

Like I associate anything from Ganging Up On the Sun with my drives back and forth from home to LSAT class last summer in a sort of pleasure before pain kind of way lol. And I think "Demons" from Goldfly is my favorite. It just touches me for some reason...makes you think about why people may act in certain ways. Beautiful song. "Satellite" reminds me of that great Matoaka concert since it was one of their newer tracks and I knew it then...reminds of of Trevor too because we were rockin it out! "Amsterdam" is everybody's favorite, and reminds me of Ange and me just hanging in the room. I think above all Guster makes me think of and reflect on my college experience and its ups and downs. They just really tap into the soundtrack of everything that life is. Upbeat, blue, wonderful, terrible, misguided, beautiful, tenacious, lazy loveliness. Plus they're one of the only bands with lyrics including the word "Massachusetts!" If this isn't a coming-of-age-in-your-twenties-after-a-comfy-upbringing, I- got-a-slap-in- the- face-wake-up-call, I don't know what is.

On your way to the best years of your life
Everyone's banging on their gongs
The sooner you leave the sooner you're home
Back in Massachusetts
To your golden age where they tuck you in at night
You didn't see it coming
Now who you gonna wave to?
This time you're not homecoming king
Did you hear that?
Have you heard that sound before?
Do you even know where it is coming from?
Its getting too loud
It keeps on pushing you out
Into the arms of 1994
You didn't see it coming
Now who you gonna wave to?
You're not homecoming king
You stand on your own
wasn't what you hoped at all
Do you still recall it,
giving dead-arms in the hall?
Stay right where you are
You'll be half of who you were
When you always would win
So count the days till you give in
Back to Massachusetts
To your golden age where your crown is shining bright
You didn't see it coming
Now who you gonna wave to?
This time you're not homecoming king
Did you see it coming?
Now who you gonna wave to?
This time you're not homecoming king

Because Maggie Actually Reads This!

So, I guess it's not completely useless lol. A lot has changed since I last posted...I checked out RWU and it's gorgeous. Planning on attending, and I already have an apartment and 2 roomies. Which is kind of overwhelming. I'm staying on the William and Mary wait-list, though, probably because I'm terrified to leave this place. Which is ridiculous. I'm a big girl and I'm off to conquer the world, but I will miss this place like I'm losing an arm. What about all of the classes I was "gonna" take, what about the events I could have planned, what about my missed opportunities, what about actually going to the farmer's market or having those ill-conceived plans? It's the end of an era, and while I hope that the saying that these were the best years of our lives isn't true, it would still be a pretty good run if it were.

Went kayaking with the big last Saturday, which was awesome despite the fact that she was better at it. Went to her African music concert for a bit, but then had to leave because we promised to meet Caroline.

Just finished The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent, which I liked. It was interesting because it was based on her own family's history, i.e. the trial and hanging of her great times 9 grandmother, Martha Carrier. The characters could have used a little more development, but for a first novel, it was great. I have that sad feeling you get when you finish a good book. My next is The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti. So we'll see how that goes.

I think I'm going to add a list of books I want to read on here, so please throw recommendations my way.

And, because my interns are the shit, I'm going to the Guster concert in Richmond on Friday with Cathy. Yayyyyy.

Abismally Dumb

I am an idiot. End of story. I will forget he-who-must-not-be-named and Hawaii and remember the lessons I've learned. I'm putting my faith in God. He has a plan for me, and I will no longer try to rush things. It's 68 days until graduation, and I'm going to enjoy them. I'm checking out RWU in good faith. It's time to mature and grow up. Though if I go to RWU, I am so getting a dog. It's happening.

Movies

I'd like to mention that all of the movies I'm listing are not all actually good. ie I watched something that turned out to be like soft-core porn today called Delta of Venus. So don't watch unless you're prepared for that sort of thing.

And I effing need to watch Waitress already. I have it, I can see it, I'm just dumb. Maybe tomorrow night. I haven't decided on the merits of staying up all night for my 5:30 pick up or if I should actually try sleep. Decisions, decisions.

Dr. No tomorrow, then GenBoard. .

I'd Like to Thank the Academy

So Slumdog prevailed at the Oscars tonight...hooray! Those kids are adorable and I might just be in love with Dev Patel. Interns hosted an Oscars party tonight in Lodge 1. I swear, Lodge 1 events are cursed, though it did look nice. Maybe it was just the asshat PM from films who can't manage to do electronic publicity properly. I'm on my period, can't you tell?

Commercial Law midterm tomorrow, which is about as fun as getting your fingernails chewed off by small rodents, but alas, I have no choice in the matter. Hopefully I managed to memorize the book sufficiently because the prof is quite possibly off his nut.

Ode to UVA

So, after a recent conversation with Julie Horsting and personal experience, I can officially say that UVA is a cold-hearted bitch. I mean I didn't get "Admissions Stats: Denied," but it was the same idea. At least write an eloquent 'Dear John" letter like Northeastern. Is it wrong that I'm still embarrassed about that rejection? My high school self would have been mortified. So yes, official record now stands at 2-4. Let's gooooooo Hawaii. Please.

In other news, I am now on Zoloft and Klonopin. Hopefully these will work and I will be a happy bouncing bubble like the commercial says. And yes Keshia, I will have bubble babies, not crack babies. I read on WebMD that only "infrequently" do babies suffer withdrawal. So eat it.

Also, I watched "Dangerous Beauty" on Netflix, which is a much better movie than the title suggests. Go for it if you like sex and period dramas.

And finally, I'm Kevin Dua's escort in Mr. W&M tomorrow. I'm having Mr. Falmouth deja vue. In a good way. Especially because Dua is the class president a la Tim Griffin. But at least I don't have to wear a dress the size of the QE2 this time and throw confetti. Dua's going for the Fonzworth Bentley look, of which I highly approve. I hope pocket-squares are involved.

PS "Say" by John Mayer is just a genius song in a simple kind of way.

2-3

So. Schools I've been accepted to so far: Roger Williams University and Texas Wesleyan University. Schools I've been rejected from so far: American University, George Mason University, Northeastern University. What gives?!

Whatever. Let's just all do the good mojo dance so I get into University of Hawaii.

Hopping Aboard the Blog Train

OK, so I've seen enough people I know start their own blogs for me to know that at least a few people read them. Like me. Accordingly, I guess if people read theirs, they'll read mine. Especially because mine will be so scintillating. Plus, I've got so much crap going on right now that I think this will be like cheap therapy. I tried diaries a few times at various stages of my life, but they never stuck. Hopefully this can just turn into another one of my bad habits...haha.

Let's see what to expect here: part witty banter, part observation on pop culture (can you get over this whole Chris Brown- Rihanna thing? me neither), part foodie rambling, part travel journal, part reminiscing on fast times at William and Mary, and part blind panic about what I'm doing with my life. So really it's like being with me in real life. Aren't you lucky?!

I'm going to post movies I've seen through my Netflix addiction, pictures from the last week, and really whatever other paraphernalia I deem awesome.

So, yeah. Let's do this thing. But for now, I'm gonna sleep because we're doing a thrilling presentation in Business and Society tomorrow about the social responsibility of the Home Appliance Industry. Exciting? Yeah, me neither.