| (no subject) |
[Jun. 23rd, 2009|04:40 pm] |
I feel really guilty, but I really do not like New York City.
Driving through Central Park two weeks ago, the guy driving was like, "You sure you don't want to stay in the Park? Get a frisbee, go on a boat..." And I was not even tempted.
Today, same thing. "Everyone should ride atleast once in the horse carriages. Today is a perfect day for just walking the streets" Still not tempted.
I love coming home.
But we found baby flounder, sea lettuce, rockweed, and a green crab in Queens. |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 8th, 2009|01:09 pm] |
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I love how a smile can truly make my day :D |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 5th, 2009|04:19 pm] |
I LOVE GETTING NEW T-SHIRTS.
1. Ultimate, Deep Blue
2. Polo, one more thing we have on Gettysburg AND BenFranklin in a cap
3. Envirothon, YELLOW
4. Writers House...eventually
5. annual Spring Arts tye dye
oh look that could be my wardrobe for the next week. |
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| dream job |
[Mar. 23rd, 2009|10:40 am] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  anxious | ] |
ok so i've found my dream job: Alliance for a Living Ocean, located on LBI http://www.livingocean.org/ I'll live at my uncle's on beach haven west, and be happy forever :D [edit:: the president owns a surf shop in beach haven we visited last year with used boards, i know where i'm stalking this summer]
now if only i knew what to do about this summer. I can take the CPF Coastal Classrooms internship, only 2 days a week, AND guard, yay. i don't know about coaching.
but i don't coach diving, technically atleast. swimming sounds more Board run though. and because i do it undercover i actually get paid more hourly.
so i guess what i have to do it tell the board i will be busy two mornings. and if they don't want me to coach i can't-officially. but i'll help in any way possible and involve myself anyway, and kenny always needs diving help and who does he turn to - me!
unless i get the Clearwater living on a boat until June internship. while i could still do CPF since i'd have something different under my belt already i could coach and guard. but since i haven't heard back from them since my impromptu interview last week over break I don't know if I'll get it.
I have until April 1, then the Board wants a decision.
Maybe Kirby was right. |
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| (no subject) |
[Feb. 23rd, 2009|08:01 pm] |
The first even Diana Wynne Jones convention will be held in Bristol in July. Participants include Diane Purkiss who taught my Tolkien, Lewis and Pullman class last semester. And Bristol is a 20 min train ride away from Bath.
AND I WISH I COULD GO. My favorite author. Diane. So close to Bath. GAHHHHHHH
She was at the children's lit festival in September, but we were in Oxford and I nearly cried then too. and while I did love meeting Cornelia Funke, DWJ is my absolute favorite.
hence why my sister is currently reading three of her books at once, all stolen from my bookshelf: Howl, Dalemark, and Dark Lord. |
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| (no subject) |
[Jan. 29th, 2009|05:55 pm] |
FUCKKKKK
the north museum just suggested i apply for an internship with them through f&m. 3,200 paid, 10 weeks. they already know what they want me to do: fix their 'what's up wednesdays' for the summer program. and they said they tend to shy away from internships, but that they'd love for me to do it.
paid internship. and since i'll prob be paying rent/living in college row anyway i'd have housing. and katie's 10 min away. and i was so jealous when shannon and andrew visited her last summer.
BUT I'D MISS THE ENTIRE POOL SEASON AND ALL SWIMMING AND DIVING MEETS. AM I SERIOUSLY READY FOR THAT?? NO i never will be. not be tan and bleached and at home???
I still have to apply and all. and i can still turn it down if i get it.
it seems so perfect. and still so NOT. and scares the crap out of me. i'm so honored they want me to do it.
breath. breath. breath.
let's apply first. |
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| I understand |
[Nov. 3rd, 2008|10:03 pm] |
I never understood how I could be Irish-Italian before. I didn't fit the crazy drinking loud obnoxious stereotype.
But now I get it. Our class + Adrian [tutor aka Prof] and Andrew Butterworth [old adorable I don't even know what his job is, he knows everything] went to a pub on Halloween. Live Irish music and laughter and student-teacher line majorly crossed and dancing. Yep I danced to Irish drinking songs. And later went out with Emily and Jen Bray to buy cds to share. Jen Bray, Butterworth and I went to Bray on Sunday too aka I WENT TO AN IRISH BEACH and touched the ocean and sand and stole pebbles and saw a seal and announced it to the whole train. Oh and some men I suspect were selkies as they went in and disappeared.
I loved Dublin. Not even really the city, it was ugly, just the experience, the culture. The first time I really felt culture shock.
Guy in the band, "You trsty?" Us, "touristy? toasty? make a toast? [ten minutes later] ohhh thirsty"
I understand. I truly feel Irish. I even tried Guiness at the factory- and by try I literally mean a sip- and it was disgusting and doesn't change my opinions on alcohol. But it doesn't matter. I still understand. I belonged in some strange way.
Other notes: staying up with our tutors until 2 and 3AM dancing and drinking, Yeats seance, quiz in airport then nearly missing boarding place, morning after breakfast conversations with tutors, Matt talking to his beer and being admired [by Irish MEN] for his mustache--and this kid goes to F&M and I had a class with him last semester and NEVER expected him to be crazy weird and pound back 15 pints and dance an Irish jig with me and JenBray. |
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| (no subject) |
[Oct. 18th, 2008|10:06 pm] |
So I'm slightly homesick again. I blame it on Fall Break- I should be going home now, that's all. But I'll be with family tomorrow. I'm so excited :D
So to pass the time in my empty house I watch Ghost Hunters [bad idea, it scares me in a room full of people let alone all alone tonight] then Camp Rock to make me feel better.
My nose has interesting white marks on it at times. I think it might be from my bloody nose surfing this summer, I've certainly never noticed it before I came here. My poor nose, broken and bloodied. Tells a story like the rest of my injuries: scars [JSA, NH, surfing, water polo, etc] cuts [mainly from cutting apples for juicing at the garden today] but I believe I'm sadly short of bruises at the moment.
I love Wales. More specifically Caerphilly, Cardiff was a city. But the castle and town nestled in the hills...I wish I could've gone hiking there, but we were in Paris. So now I need to own not only a beach house but also a residence in Caerphilly. |
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| PARIS |
[Oct. 14th, 2008|10:04 pm] |
THURS: train from Bath to Bristol, bus to airport, flight to Charles de Gaulle. Easy so far. Calling a cab to get to our hotel is easy enough, then we stand outside waiting around for it. It comes, and there's a nice dent in it. But we pile in and stare out the windows looking for the Eiffel Tower- determined to see SOMETHING famous before going to bed. The cab has no clue where our hotel is and we sit parked on the street for atleast ten min before he things he finds it, but with the one-way streets we go in circles- passing the Moulin Rouge- then find it. There's a gang hanging around outside and the cab says, 'watch your things, this is a bad area' GREAT we think. It would make sense that proximity to the Moulin Rouge also means Red Light District, even if it is in the Opera district. In the hotel, in broken french we try to explain that yes we have 5 people, yes we booked 4 beds, yes we asked for a cot- what do you mean there are no extra beds?! we honestly thought he was going to make one of us sleep in the streets, it was terrifying, he was so mean. Then he let us go about paying and we thought we were ok, he smiled and gave us the keys, then- you have 5 people. 'Ok' he says 'i'll ask my manager in the morning' and we run away up the stairs. Not a nice hotel. There's no lights in the hallway and it takes us forever to get the door opened. Then we almost wished we hadn't: emptiest room ever. We were nearing a breakdown O.O Ali and I stayed in the two twins on the 3rd floor, Emily Dustin and Sarah headed up to the 5th and shared a double between the three of them and a bathroom the size of a closet. So far the only good things- actual sheets on the beds and they drive on the right side of the road.
FRI: We all set our watches ahead an hour- but not cell phones for alarms: hence we all wake up late and depart even later than planned. Breakfast is delicious croissants. Can't find the metro station, trouble buying tickets. Finally make it, get out walk around the corner AND THERE'S THE EIFFEL TOWER IN THE SUNLIGHT. Gasps and shrieks and photos. Walk down across the bridge and underneath to get in line. Too long in line, squished in elevator up to the second floor, pics, line again for even more squished elevator to the third floor and more pics. Not that great, approaching breakdown state from unhappiness. Line and squished elevator back down. Walk over to L'Arc de Triomphe, lunch en route, whoop-de-do there it is,CROSS AT THE ZEBRA [uk slang for crosswalk] more pics, walk down Champs Elysees in search of Starbucks to enliven everyone. Everyone much happier after caffeine and sugar and caramel, and a welcome sit after 5hrs straight on our feet. Off down Champs, past aero exhibits all along the street, Place de la Concorde and awesome fountains, jealous of all the shopping opportunities if only we had the money, making the security guard in Chanel suspicious of Americans. Through Les jardins Tuleries, past Le Louvre, giggling at the statues. En route to Le Musee D'orsay [which was closed] found a bridge that first goes under the road then comes up over the river. Onward to Les Invalides, passing on the way the Pont Alexandre, le Grand palais and Le petit Palais, back down Champs Elysees looking for dinner. Wandering in circles comparing prices, approaching breakdown state again- finally settle down, they give us an English speaking waiter. Fried egg on a hamburger?! Dustin tells us how our lives would run if he were writing them- I would be married in 6-7 years, no working; Emily says I'll meet my husband [Indiana Jones] on a cruise/archaeological dig and write a trashy novel on her life in which her husband takes her baby and leaves her for Dustin. Cont walk back up to L'Arc, its fully dark now and we're all happy again, turn a corner and *GASP* THE EIFFEL TOWER IS SPARKLING LIKE CINDERELLA'S CASTLE. Walk amiably along again AND IT STOPS. I nearly cry. Make our way over and Sarah's friends studying in Paris inform us it happens on every hour for five min. So we sit under the blue Eiffel Tower sipping champange. Pics, metro back to hotel, quick detour to Moulin Rouge, shuffle past gang again and into the hotel. The walk back from the Opera got sketchier and sketchier the father we went, then got slightly better near the Moulin Rouge. The bed problem is fixed thanks to nice person in the morning. But the shower heads don't stay on the wall, so we completely soak the bathrooms.
SAT: Late start again but atleast we woke up on time, delicious breakfast again. Off to the Louvre! Its a shame there's so much there but everyone rushes to the Mona Lisa, and its so HUGE it would take FOREVER to truly see everything and understand its significance and beauty. And why are there so few famous American painters? No one paints like they used to because it takes too much time. Also see the Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, coronation jewels. Walk to Notre Dame on L'Isle de la Cite, hear the bells, too long a line to go in sadface, but pics. Lunch, boutique shopping. Le Centre Pompidou- wow its wierd looking, awesome fountains, scary mime outside. Only a Bastille memorial, we forgot the prison was completely destroyed. Metro to Luxembourg Gardens--only they're closing too sadface. Dinner with Sarah's friend from home- ham and cheese with the cheese ON TOP of the bread, yummy. They have an obsession with eggs and cheese here. Back to L'Arc, climb it for 360 panorama view of the star: BEST PART OF THE TRIP: the lights, cool breeze, stars above, blue Eiffel in the corner with the moon above it. We stayed until the Tower went sparkly again and tried every setting on our cameras to get the best pics. Dessert on the Champs, i got ice cream because I don't like crepes. Back to the hotel, last night thank goodness.
SUN: sleep in, pack, check out, delicious breakfast for the last time sadface. Same cab picks us up, drive to airport. Flight delayed, read in airport. Check in, dinner at McDonalds, through passport control, through security, waiting again in gate area. Sent off on bus which drives us over to the plane. I like climbing the stairs up to the plane, it feels oldfashioned. Bus to Bristol Temple Meads, searching for bus to Bath b/c of train construction. Sat next to boy with skateboard, should've talked to him. Walk back to Northampton, unpack for the millionth time, shower, sleep.
And this weekend Sarah and I want to take a day trip to Wales. Sunday I'm going to Belgium to visit my uncle- SO EXCITED. I CANNOT WAIT. They have off work and cars and will cart me through Waterloo to Brussels, Bruges, Antwerp, Ghent, Dubruy to medieval castles and shopping, whatever food I want, Amsterdam is 2 hrs away. Its going to be fabulous, I'm thrilled. Then the week after that I'm going to Dublin on a 3 day study trip- over Halloween. I can't believe my life. It hit me on L'Arc at night how far from home I am; not when contemplating the sign in the Eiffel Tower that measures the distance to NYC and DC, nope but when the fresh breeze hits my face and the summer triangle is above my head. "Looking up at the same night sky" [Ocean Avenue, Yellowcard] Its the same moon and stars, but halfway across the world. |
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| Pulling a Goat up a Mountian |
[Sep. 15th, 2008|06:35 pm] |
My 22hrs in London! Beginning at 4 45am-wake up
5 20- meet 29 (Ali, Emily, Virginia Claire) in the street to walk to station
6 13- first train to London
arrive Paddington before 8am. Underground to Waterloo. Walk around the corner to Starbucks for a caffeine and muffin pickmeup. Then off to find tickets for the London Eye. I'm not that impressed by the sight of it- its a big ferris wheel whoop de do. But then we turn the corner AND THERE'S BIG BEN. That was a shocker, and really put into perspective where we were. Waiting in line for the ticket office to open (10) someone walks by carrying a Storm Trooper in pieces...and I stare blatantly at it. When he next walks by with some 'stone' statue I ask what he's doing, "Stealing it" "Can I have the Storm Trooper?" I ask. "Sure" Unfortunately, they were props from the Movi-um. Moving on, the Eye opens, we get tickets, get back in line and in a few minutes we're airborne! Now I'm excited. Watching the city unfold beneath us over the river. This boy was pointing out sights to his brother, so we eavesdropped and asked questions, Where's London Bridge? (you couldn't see it :( )I liked it and I'd love to go on at night and see everything all lit up.
After the 30hr flight, we succumbed and went in the Movie-um(movie museum) which boasted authentic props and costumes. VC and I were in HEAVEN. The Italian Job original mini cooper, Star Wars EVERYWHERE, Indy, Superman, Batman. So lovely.
Then across the bridge to stare in awe at Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster and meander to Buckingham. The outside...not that pretty; inside GORGEOUS. Loved the marble statues and 'themed rooms' I was a green drawing room when I have my own house. They talked about playing the bagpipes at one point, and I'm still proud to be a Highlander, I just love hearing them.
Wander to find lunch (3ish). Wander back up towards the Palace to Hyde Park. Walk by the lake with all the paddleboats and rowboats and such. It looked really dirty, lots of geese and other birds. The Princess Diana memorial is like a mini lazy river [minus the tubes of course]. The Peter Pan statue was adorable.
Tube to Picadilly Circus to find Soho, Covent Garden and SHOPPING. But failing miserably. Trafalgar Square to make wishes--but there's this 14ish yr old boy PICKING UP THE MONEY. And he does the REGULARLY. Little delinquent.
Dinner (9ish)- margherita pizza (just like home!) Dustin calls his friend who's studying and she takes us to Leicester Square for gelattos, sooo delicious. It was like Times Square though, too much of a city for me.
Back to Paddington for the last train home at 11 30.
Arrive Bath 1 10am. Clearly we missed something at home as the streets were a mess (rugby game we think--and the STUDENTS ARRIVAL, finally) Back at the Northamptons at 1 30am. |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 29th, 2008|01:41 am] |
SUNDAY: goodbyes at the pool (for the third time that weekend) off to the airport for a 9pm flight DELAYED 5 HRS. So after I calmed down, we went to dinner, saw Kirby at Zita's and talked to him on the phone, slept, then back to the airport for a THREE AM flight. Sat next to a guy from Scotland who let me have the window seat. slept uncomfortably. arrived at 2pm, passed customs, got my luggage, made it to the coach, made it to Bath--couldn't call a taxi so i asked these guys just walking by for their phone and got one. made it to the house and met everyone. My roommate Sarah is amazing, its perfect really. And our house is cute, at the top of a hill 20 min from everyone else, but we're learning to like that.
MON-THURS: lots of orientation things, walking around, grocery shopping, writing little papers for our classes, going out at night.
the only touristy thing we've done so far is a tour of Bath Abbey which we pass every day like 12 hundred times. We're taking a double decker to Stonehenge and places on Sunday which I'm SO excited for. Not sure what we're doing for my birthday but it will be celebrated i've been assured.
Johnny Depp has a house down the street in the Royal Cresent, and Nicholas Cage in the Circus around the corner. Mike Phelps is in London.
There's lots of seagulls, which no one seems to like but me. One kid was randomly asking people what they'd do with a million dollars and my immediate answer was "buy a beach house...and a surfboard" and it hasn't actually rained badly yet.
So all in all, i'm doing better than i expected. :D
Give me addresses if you want postcards! |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 25th, 2008|09:38 pm] |
You never really leave the beach - BB - beach bum
if only i could make myself believe this.
i want to cry every other minute. i don't know what to do with myself.
lbi was amazing. necklace wasn't there this summer sadface. but he-she zac (real name patrick) and company was. and seagull boy. and hanson and billy. WHOM WE ACTUALLY HAD A CONVERSATION WITH be still my heart. yes i come from a family of stalkers :)
LET ME GO BACK.
why did you guys let me do this? why didn't someone bash me over the head and pull me back to fandm.
countdowns: oxford (and dei) in sept, my uncle's in oct, stratford in nov, leaving dec. ystates (and kenny, brian greene, greg, and some swimmers in feb.
oh, and my birthday. which will pass by unnoticed. its already been celebrated with my cousin down the shore. |
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| another one for the record books |
[Aug. 4th, 2008|04:09 pm] |
Season began with a meet July 1.
Season ended July 31 with Championships and a party.
Sometimes its not the meets you win that you remember-its the ones you ALMOST do.
The tie that became a win to Madison. EVERY POINT COUNTS.
Losing by 4 on dq's (pronounced like deeks) to Florham Park.
The other Mad meet that was thundered out but showed us we actually had a chance.
And the FP that reminded us that every body counts.
EDIT:: can't forget the dance parties in my back seat.
2nd to Clearwater, congrats all my Summies girls over there.
Taking part in Double chains. Reverse doubles, back doubles, inward 1.5s those guys are crazy.
Dunkin Donuts.
You're on fire!!! I'll save you!!
I'm only 12!!
Sting pong.
Careful when you put a bunch of divers (slash wrestlers slash gymnasts) on a trampoline.
BEAST.
the act of being besatly. to have beasted. to beast. |
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| Question for PC users |
[Jul. 3rd, 2008|03:49 pm] |
When I'm in England this fall I still need a way to stay in touch with everyone and see your lovely faces without the hassle of expensive calls: hence I want a webcam and I'll get a skype account.
Anyone have any comments on which one I should get? We'll have to get one to leave here too.
Please help! |
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| miserable :D |
[Jun. 5th, 2008|10:08 pm] |
my body is in such pain.
+ michelle stepped on my foot, hurting toes
+ alyssa hit nose, cheekbone, punched jaw
+ 19 mile epic crusade island hike in flipflops, my poor feet
+ a shot in each arm
but oh man NC was amazing again. A completely different trip consisting not of lazing and sunbathing but hiking and exploring and adventuring.
So much life.
[birds, crabs, horses, fish, horseshoe crabs, hermit crabs, conches, sand dollars, flowers, fox]
And so much death.
[birds, fish, jellyfish, turtles, crabs]
hopping fences, pepsi, dragging things, mexicans, ticks vs slimy unknowns, there's a horse outside our tent!, the sky is black and the moon is red and the tent is bending in half, RAIN, "you reckon?" O.O blank stare, hardee's <--if you ever find one GO, muse, atlantic city
COMPLAINING *cue hysterical laughter* |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 12th, 2008|10:40 pm] |
somewhere along the lines school became home. not even my room, i never spent much time there anyway, but just the campus itself and the people.
i'm not used to quiet and privacy anymore. everything seems too big and spread out.
but i am home here too. with the pool and the gym. later the beach.
so who wants to see indiana jones?! |
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| this is a little late but... |
[Feb. 19th, 2008|05:52 pm] |
RIP Roy Schneider, F&M class of 55.
Best known as Martin Brody of JAWS.
Died Feb 10 of cancer. |
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| (no subject) |
[Dec. 14th, 2007|03:34 pm] |
[i wanted to post. but its failing. i forget what i wanted to say. so i give up.
but i'm alive.] |
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| oh summer swimming |
[Oct. 10th, 2007|06:10 pm] |
Walking into the gym today, there's a kid from second floor behind katie and me.
And he's wearing a Divisionals shirt from 1998. Division 4. With BH, Westfield, West Caldwell, etc.
Turns out he's from Gilette and swam from ages 6-12. Thats all, I just found it hilarious, because my first thought was, "Hey!! That's MY shirt!" |
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| (no subject) |
[Oct. 1st, 2007|10:22 am] |
Somewhere around the Delaware River I swear the worlds and universes get mixed up.
I really feel like I live in different worlds.
Being home and talking about the beach, and gl and gymnastics and diving. Picking Melissa up from an xc meet- but see bhcp swimming girls, give Nick from diving a ride home, Fargo speeds by in his mom's car. Huyck I was up and down Emerson a million times this weekend and it killed me you weren't there :( I'm sure I could make a simile with smores and burning grass, but not now.
I live in a different world here. I'm sure of it.
I don't think there's even been a train ride I haven't cried. |
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