Nonsense, Drivel, and Balderdash

Here is a picture of me with some friends on friday hittin' up the hookah. Now all you people who didnt know what one looks like can enjoy some new knowlege. The metal part at the top is actually a wind blocker thingy. There is a vase like glass thing at the bottom (outside of the picture). Yes, you are all scandalized that I am smoking. Well, I dont care. A pox on all of you.

Last night I realized that I am not a mean, lean, sports machine (well... except for the lean part). Intermural soccer just started and I, being the fun loving RA that I am, signed up for one of the Evans soccer teams (evans in the name of my dorm). I have never been good at sports, but I enjoy many of them. I like playing when it is not too seriously competitive and people are playing for fun. Oh boy, I need to remember to... not do that again.... or do it more often. But I cant just do it for a day and never do it again until 5 months later. I was wasted by the end of the game. This morning I am actually sore. This time last year I was actually in pretty good shape. Alas... Ever since I hurt my back last year, I had dropped sports and gyms and things of that sort. I have just started trying to do more excercise without hurting my back. I really need to get that thing looked at. Maybe this summer I'll get X-Rays or somthing. All I know, is that I am pathetically out of shape right...

Today, I got up around 10, and tidied my room up a bit. Then I played around on the computer. Then I did my taxes. This morning has definitely been one of those "I need to be alone" times. After that I went over to Lane (the cafeteria) and got a couple of hot dogs with fries for a late lunch. Then I came back to my room for a mid Saturday movie (funny, in Spain that is THE time to watch movies... They always put them on at that time). I borrowed a ridiculous, corny, yet entertainingly light movie entitled "the league of extraordinary gentlemen." Yes extremely corny, and makes a mockery of any fun 19th century book known to man... Including poor Dorian gray and Capitan nemo... Whatever, it was still nice for a light afternoon flick. Following the movie I went to yet another Recital, given by Robin, and she also did very well. After the recital, I was standing around, and Renee was there. She said that she felt like doing something spontaneous... Like driving to Maine...

Well, another weekend is almost over. It has been a good one so far. It has been restful and refreshing. I have done things that have been original and new, spent time with friends, heard music and watched movies. Yesterday, the weather was beautiful. It was sunny out. The skies were blue. It was finally warm enough to not have to wear a coat. After my last class, I went to the beach with some friends. We stayed there until it started to get dark (which is only until about 7). There I did something that I had never done before, I smoked a Hookah. For those of you who don't know what a hookah is, it is a middle eastern water pipe. Think of the caterpillar in "Alice in Wonderland" and you will know what I am talking about. Unlike cigarettes and cigars, the Hookah pulls the smoke through water, filtering out nastiness and cooling the smoke. Also, Hookah tobacco is wet, from being soaked in molasses and fruit juices. So a coal is placed over the tobacco, slowly burning away t...

During Choir Tour... boredom took control of my mind. And in some act of insanity, I straightened my hair... here is the picture to scare the living defecation out of you:

Well, Another day has come and gone and I did something that I had never done before. A week ago, I recieved an email asking students if they would be interested in lending the Art department a hand. The letter followed in saying that they were looking for models for their drawing class. The models would be paid by the hour. I had never done anything like that, and the times that they were asking for people fit right into my schedule. I replied to the email, and said that I would do it. This morning, I showed up at the class and spoke to the instructor. She thanked me for coming and we waited until all the students were there. Then she closed the blinds and I took my clothes off. The air was warm and it was kind of embarrassing at first. None of the other students seemed to think anything of it though. I had to remind myself that these were art students and that they saw bare bodies everyday. I struck a pose and they began to draw. Actually, I was wearing clothes, but I bet that I had ...

Once again, it seems that the rustic lands of Yorkshire have something to captivate my imagination and soften my spirits. In High School I was captivated by the books of James Herriot. I read all the books by the yorkshire vet, and loved imagining the places and people of those harsh farmlands. Now, Kate Rusby, another Yorkshire native, has captivated me as well. I recomend that you check her music out. She sings music in the style of old english folk songs. She has a lovely voice and an easy going, folk, old english sound. It reminds me of celtic music in many regards. Her voice is reminiscent of that of a young Art Garfunkel. It is very smooth and soaring, like a troubador of old. Anyhow, if you like that sort of thing, check it out.

I dont know why... I have been really anxious for a couple of days. Physically I have been really jittery, my heart rate has been going crazy, I'm sure my blood pressure has skyrocketed. I have always been figitty, but lately it is out of control. My mind has been suffering from "racing thoughts," which make it hard to concentrate. I have had a lot of stuff going on this year, and I think it is all catching up with me. I just need to learn to deal with it now. I have a lot of stuff to sort out and make sense of; and to let go of the stuff that cannot be understood. I went to a counselor a couple of weeks ago, and he said I was suffering of some sort of depression of some sort... I dunno. Not a chronic one, but one triggered by causes. I sort of went through similar things last year around late winter. I wonder if it simply S.A.D (seasonal affective disorder)... I dont know. Heh heh, I hope people dont think I am going crazy over here and suddenly all start sending me craz...

I got up this morning and I went over to the Library. David said he wanted to learn about Spain's History before he goes over. So I meandered over to the library to see if I could find anything. I ended up staying downstairs in the History section of the Library for over 2 hours. I know, it is bizarre. I love it down there. The history section of the Library is two floors down into the basement. A musky old book smell lingers in the air, bringing to mind the smell of opening an old closet in a forgotten room in an old persons house. It is a comforting smell, and yet it makes you shiver in anticipation... "Who knows what treasures lie buried in these stacks of literature?" It was kind of unnerving to find myself so enthralled with the tomes of history that were around me, considering that I switched my major to English yesterday. I wanted to read all of those history books, find out everything about "A History of Bavaria" or "Hadrian: the Restless Emperor....

Last night I had an interesting experience. I played sang; by myself. Believe it or not, that is a first. I have always performed with more people (usually the good company of my friends Kenny and Dan). I am terrified of singing alone. I guess it is because singing is such a personal thing. It is because, when you sing, your voice is naked. Upon further contemplation, I think I have sang for people with strange voices (Kermit the frog, Dylan, eighties rocker, Elvis...) but never just my own. Because, if people don't like your Elvis impersonation, well, that is too bad for Elvis. However, if people do not like the way YOU sing, then it is all about you. Anyway, last night was the Evans open mic, and I (being the good Evans RA that I am), decided to get involved and participate. I was going to sing with David Garza, but he bailed on me on the last second, forcing me to find another plan of action. I decided to go the route of crowd pleaser songs, which of course mean in Spanish. So I...

The past couple of days have been pretty busy. I want to extend greetings to anyone who is new here *cough-rachel-cough*... "hello, please feel free to waste your time reading my stuff. Leave a message if you want." It is the start of a new "quad" (which is a half-semester), and I have lost one class and gained another. Fortunately, it was a good trade, because I was sick and tired of Philosophy at 8 AM. The professor was not bad, but rambled a lot and at eight in the morning... I did get my journals back yeseterday, and I recieved an A- on them. I was pretty pleased with that. Considering that I did them ALL at once, last minute. On the correction sheet it said "Wrong formatting, did not complete the assignment, missing part of the journals, but Excellent thoughts and insight. Have you ever considered being a philosophy major?" Of course, I dont think that Philosophy is my thing. I dont like debating. I like a healthy argument with a group of friends, but...

Maybe it is disrespectful to post a humorous post so early on after tragedy, but I figure everyone needs a laugh these days... This picture is from a day when I "fro-ed" my hair out as much as I could. It was taken about a month ago.

Today is has been a strange day. I woke up, and found out that tragedy had hit my home. In Madrid, 10 bombs went off in trains around the city. 1400 people were injured, and 200 died. I was really nervous about my friends and family, but everyone I know is OK. I know people that have lost friends though. As the day progressed I felt more and more shaken up. I saw pictures of trains blown apart and train stations and pictures of the city and the people. Those were my people, I rode on those trains, I walked down those streets and waited in those stations. The victims were just like me. I have been much more affected by this tragedy than by september 11. I was horrified at the death and destruction then, but this is much more close to home. The trains were traveling during rush hour. People were going off to work; kids were going to school. I feel such sorrow for my city. 200 spaniards killed for some stupid reason. Please go to this page to see the pictures of this tragedy. Click on t...

Yeah. I know.... midterms.... I havent been updating as nicely as I should be. Well, here is a picture from my MK retreat a couple of weeks back. Me, Dave (a guy on my floor, with whom I have really hit it off. MK in Costa Rica), Steve (MK in Panama), and David (mexican, mk in Japan). We had fun together. It was a little click'ish, but hey, since when has that stopped me? David is coming to spain this summer with me. Yes, you heard me right. He IS coming, after much much indecisiveness. We will be hiking around the country, probably starting in the north and working our way down south through Castilla y Leon, until we reach Madrid. At least that is the plan. We will be working in Madrid for the month of August. He is a great guy, and I think everyone in spain will really like him. Here a couple of picures of him, yes ladies, he IS single (but highly stalked by Gordon ladies). The downside of the summer is that I will not be accompanying the choir on Tour. We were going to go to eur...

Today its my mom's Birthday. Happpy birthday mom, I love you. Felicitarla. Aqui teneis el correo electronico: madremaravilla@hotmail.com