When the weather changes, all my posters fall down. This is not a new thing, it's just the way the walls and adhesives react to changes in temperature. It's just kind of scary when things crash down on me. Last night, I came home and my huge poster over my desk had fallen. Luckily it didn't get damaged, and I was able to put it back up, but it was a nuiscance. Today, I was awakened by the falling of my Doctor Who Exploding TARDIS poster, which hands over the head side of my bed. It made a really loud noise and I was too scared to go back to sleep even though it was still kind of early. This is a story from my life.
Today is awesome because I cleaned my room and got pretzel bread.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
The Beginning of Junior Fall
I'm at a loss for how to share what's going on right now. There's a lot that happens with the beginning of a new school year, and I'm feeling a little inconsequential on the internet. Short statuses don't really encapsulate the human experience, and I'm feeling like if someone want's to know what's actually up in my life, they should take the time to read a few paragraphs on this blog. The whole quick update thing makes me feel at once self-centered and inconsequential, because what can I say to both express myself and catch your attention for long enough to think of me as something more than annoying? That's why I blog; not for readers, but to keep things flowing in a way that feels more genuine. It's like I'm writing a letter to a reader who actually cares, less of a shout into the void.
After that slightly morbid introduction, I have to say things are pretty awesome right now! I'm taking four fascinating classes, have an amazing group of friends around campus and in my dorm, and I just feel really good about how things are going right now.
So, classes. I've got Demystifying Classical Music, which is all about listening and appreciating and I have to go to ten performances; Modern Jewish Literature, which is reading and discussing and writing relating to amazing novels and short stories; Population Dynamics, which is a sociology class on demography that will be super interesting; and, finally, School and Society, which is another sociology class about the way the educational system is a vehicle for social reproduction. I think I'm most excited because my classes all have TOPICS and aren't simply a primer on how to conduct research that will happen in the future external to that particular classroom experience.
Now that I have my syllabi, I know my homework load and the logistics of Thanksgiving and finals, so that's good for planning. I spent a long time getting organized tonight despite the mountain of reading that was assigned today for Wednesday. I'm glad to be organized, but I didn't really get to reading until 9:00, so now that I'm tired and still have a lot to do, I'm eager to get to the point in the week when I can start reading for next week.
I had lunch with a Nerdfighter today, and that was really cool. It was the first time I'd met her, and she was super nice. I was happy to get to talk with her. There are also so many new students who are asking me about how to get involved in theater, which is really cool to be a resource for. I think I'm pretty knowledgeable about the logistics of joining technical theater, and I also understand how non-majors want to and can get involved. It's neat to be the person being asked for advice.
On that note, it's also really odd to be a junior. How can I be in my third year?!?!? I feel kind of old when I look at the freshmen, and it doesn't help that I'm one of five in my year who live in my dorm. It doesn't feel very different from sophomore year, but there are bigger things that I'm worrying about now, like what comes after college and getting internships and jobs and professional experience, all while maintaining grades, work-life balance, and time to have fun.
I did set a silly and sad goal for myself this quarter. Silly because it's so simple, but sad because it's necessary. The goal is this: do not injure my right wrist during fall quarter. The past two years I have hurt that hand, once sprain and one break, but I have vowed to sustain no new damages to that body part. It's sore enough from last year as it is.
So, that's a rambly update on how classes and junior year are. Thanks for caring enough to read. I'm also approaching 3000 views on my blog, so that's exciting, and I'm really proud to have produced enough content that I have earned such readership. I write for myself, but I put it out there for you, and it feels good to know that someone hears my shout into the void.
Today is awesome because I've had all my classes and am organized for the quarter.
After that slightly morbid introduction, I have to say things are pretty awesome right now! I'm taking four fascinating classes, have an amazing group of friends around campus and in my dorm, and I just feel really good about how things are going right now.
So, classes. I've got Demystifying Classical Music, which is all about listening and appreciating and I have to go to ten performances; Modern Jewish Literature, which is reading and discussing and writing relating to amazing novels and short stories; Population Dynamics, which is a sociology class on demography that will be super interesting; and, finally, School and Society, which is another sociology class about the way the educational system is a vehicle for social reproduction. I think I'm most excited because my classes all have TOPICS and aren't simply a primer on how to conduct research that will happen in the future external to that particular classroom experience.
Now that I have my syllabi, I know my homework load and the logistics of Thanksgiving and finals, so that's good for planning. I spent a long time getting organized tonight despite the mountain of reading that was assigned today for Wednesday. I'm glad to be organized, but I didn't really get to reading until 9:00, so now that I'm tired and still have a lot to do, I'm eager to get to the point in the week when I can start reading for next week.
I had lunch with a Nerdfighter today, and that was really cool. It was the first time I'd met her, and she was super nice. I was happy to get to talk with her. There are also so many new students who are asking me about how to get involved in theater, which is really cool to be a resource for. I think I'm pretty knowledgeable about the logistics of joining technical theater, and I also understand how non-majors want to and can get involved. It's neat to be the person being asked for advice.
On that note, it's also really odd to be a junior. How can I be in my third year?!?!? I feel kind of old when I look at the freshmen, and it doesn't help that I'm one of five in my year who live in my dorm. It doesn't feel very different from sophomore year, but there are bigger things that I'm worrying about now, like what comes after college and getting internships and jobs and professional experience, all while maintaining grades, work-life balance, and time to have fun.
I did set a silly and sad goal for myself this quarter. Silly because it's so simple, but sad because it's necessary. The goal is this: do not injure my right wrist during fall quarter. The past two years I have hurt that hand, once sprain and one break, but I have vowed to sustain no new damages to that body part. It's sore enough from last year as it is.
So, that's a rambly update on how classes and junior year are. Thanks for caring enough to read. I'm also approaching 3000 views on my blog, so that's exciting, and I'm really proud to have produced enough content that I have earned such readership. I write for myself, but I put it out there for you, and it feels good to know that someone hears my shout into the void.
Today is awesome because I've had all my classes and am organized for the quarter.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
5 Reasons I'm Loving Dorm Life
I absolutely adore my dorm this year. I was rather unsure how it would be to live in the dorm for a third year, which is very unusual at my university, but I'm loving it in the first week. Here are some reasons why:
1. We got renovated over the summer. Sure, the rooms are all laid out in the same way, but it is amazing what some paint, lighting, and furniture can do to the place. Last year, everything was kind of old, dark, and worn out. This year, we have new lounge furniture, a table that isn't mysteriously sticky, fresh paint and wallpaper on the walls, new flooring on the first floor, and we came back to find a significant amount of power cleaning had been done. The desks and dressers have also been refreshed. I was concerned about moving off campus to a place less good in facilities than the dorm, but staying in the dorm ended up being an upgrade.
2. My room. It is at once familiar and freshened. I haven't had any trouble sleeping here because it is my room and feels like my room.
3. The changes I made to my bed. Since I knew what my bed would be like, I got myself a mattress topper, quilt, and body pillow for the return, and it is extra comfy now. It also changed the look of the room to have a different bedspread, so that's a fun bonus to the comfort.
4. The people. Last year, I had plenty of friends and I loved the community, but this year the residents really want to live here and be involved. There are always people in the lounges hanging out and ready to chat, and they never cease to make me smile. I've only known them for a week, but it feels like we've been friends a lot longer, and that never really happens.
5. The residents like the same things I do! The first person I introduced myself to loves Doctor Who, and upon meeting another, the first thing she said was, "Does anybody else like Buffy, Firefly, and Avatar the Last Airbender?" I had to give her a hug. On the same night, we had a Sound of Music, Potter Puppet Pals, and Starkid singalong. Nobody in China liked any of the things I liked, but now I can nerd out about my fandoms with people who understand.
I'm going to stop the list at five, but there are continually more and more things that I'm loving about living on campus this year. I don't think I realized how isolated from friends, people with similar interests, and constant laughter and excitement I was before coming back to school. That's not to say I wasn't happy and engaged; I totally was! I just was not constantly surrounded by people who get me and laugh with me. It was a sporadic surrounding, so for those of you who were in the sporadicness, thanks for making those parts of the summer awesome. I just feel great about being always around the awesome.
Today is awesome because it is the first weekend back at school, so there's farmers market, a football game, and, most importantly, DOCTOR WHO tonight. I'm having a viewing party in HD on our big lounge TV.
1. We got renovated over the summer. Sure, the rooms are all laid out in the same way, but it is amazing what some paint, lighting, and furniture can do to the place. Last year, everything was kind of old, dark, and worn out. This year, we have new lounge furniture, a table that isn't mysteriously sticky, fresh paint and wallpaper on the walls, new flooring on the first floor, and we came back to find a significant amount of power cleaning had been done. The desks and dressers have also been refreshed. I was concerned about moving off campus to a place less good in facilities than the dorm, but staying in the dorm ended up being an upgrade.
2. My room. It is at once familiar and freshened. I haven't had any trouble sleeping here because it is my room and feels like my room.
3. The changes I made to my bed. Since I knew what my bed would be like, I got myself a mattress topper, quilt, and body pillow for the return, and it is extra comfy now. It also changed the look of the room to have a different bedspread, so that's a fun bonus to the comfort.
4. The people. Last year, I had plenty of friends and I loved the community, but this year the residents really want to live here and be involved. There are always people in the lounges hanging out and ready to chat, and they never cease to make me smile. I've only known them for a week, but it feels like we've been friends a lot longer, and that never really happens.
5. The residents like the same things I do! The first person I introduced myself to loves Doctor Who, and upon meeting another, the first thing she said was, "Does anybody else like Buffy, Firefly, and Avatar the Last Airbender?" I had to give her a hug. On the same night, we had a Sound of Music, Potter Puppet Pals, and Starkid singalong. Nobody in China liked any of the things I liked, but now I can nerd out about my fandoms with people who understand.
I'm going to stop the list at five, but there are continually more and more things that I'm loving about living on campus this year. I don't think I realized how isolated from friends, people with similar interests, and constant laughter and excitement I was before coming back to school. That's not to say I wasn't happy and engaged; I totally was! I just was not constantly surrounded by people who get me and laugh with me. It was a sporadic surrounding, so for those of you who were in the sporadicness, thanks for making those parts of the summer awesome. I just feel great about being always around the awesome.
Today is awesome because it is the first weekend back at school, so there's farmers market, a football game, and, most importantly, DOCTOR WHO tonight. I'm having a viewing party in HD on our big lounge TV.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Back to School
So, here's the update now that I'm about to go to sleep in my dorm room once again. Last week was my last at home, and it went really fast. I had a fantastic sendoff from both my genetic and tae kwon do families, then my dad and I drove to school on Saturday. I saw my dorm friends that evening. Sunday, we did the shopping trip to Target, and I got to move in today. It was a little odd because I was out with theater friends last night and didn't get nearly enough sleep to be as energetic as I was.
My dorm has been renovated. Not the big structural stuff, but everything is now spruced up and lovely and clean and new looking. Somehow, they incorporated really modern furniture into our Hogwarts common room style lounges and it still has a wonderfully homey, old building feel. And we have cool wallpaper. My room has had some changes as well. The desk lost its shelving and has been painted a steely blue-grey. The dresser is now green. I have a new desk chair and the bedframe is different. New mattress pad. The carpeting is gone and I think it's a terrazzo floor now. The walls were painted, so no more cracks in the corners. They also removed one of the closet doors, so it only closes halfway now, but that may be on its way back.
I gave my furniture a different layout this year. My bed is still in the corner away from both the door and the bathroom, but I have a spot for my snack bin in the opposite corner next to the dresser then my purple cube grid, desk, and fridge. My three-drawer cart is shares the foot of my bed with the trunk.
The new fixtures I brought with me are a body pillow, quilt, mattress topper, and rugs, all of which I love. My decorating is a bit simpler: I have my Exploding Tardis poser above my head, then the Hunger Games poster that has lived in each of my dorm rooms, and my two China watercolors (a panda and a landscape) between the mockingjay and the mirror. The opposite wall has my Chinese shadow puppets, collage poster, Chinese calligraphy, and, to inspire good work this year, my research poster lives above my desk. My bed is super fluffy now, the rugs are a fantastic accent, and I'm just really happy with my room.
Since moving in, I've been meeting the new members of the dorm. I'm surprised by how many are transfer students, and each one I have met has been wonderful. When you meet a bunch of new people, it makes mathematical sense that some of them might give you a weird vibe that you might not get along, but I genuinely think that I can have a friendship with each of the people I have met. It's really exciting to me.
Things haven't been eventfully exciting, but I'm so happy to be back home at school with my friend-family. It is so amazingly awesome to see these friends I have been missing for three months (which felt a lot longer than three months), and I feel very positive about the way things are beginning.
Today is awesome because I am happy with my home.
My dorm has been renovated. Not the big structural stuff, but everything is now spruced up and lovely and clean and new looking. Somehow, they incorporated really modern furniture into our Hogwarts common room style lounges and it still has a wonderfully homey, old building feel. And we have cool wallpaper. My room has had some changes as well. The desk lost its shelving and has been painted a steely blue-grey. The dresser is now green. I have a new desk chair and the bedframe is different. New mattress pad. The carpeting is gone and I think it's a terrazzo floor now. The walls were painted, so no more cracks in the corners. They also removed one of the closet doors, so it only closes halfway now, but that may be on its way back.
I gave my furniture a different layout this year. My bed is still in the corner away from both the door and the bathroom, but I have a spot for my snack bin in the opposite corner next to the dresser then my purple cube grid, desk, and fridge. My three-drawer cart is shares the foot of my bed with the trunk.
The new fixtures I brought with me are a body pillow, quilt, mattress topper, and rugs, all of which I love. My decorating is a bit simpler: I have my Exploding Tardis poser above my head, then the Hunger Games poster that has lived in each of my dorm rooms, and my two China watercolors (a panda and a landscape) between the mockingjay and the mirror. The opposite wall has my Chinese shadow puppets, collage poster, Chinese calligraphy, and, to inspire good work this year, my research poster lives above my desk. My bed is super fluffy now, the rugs are a fantastic accent, and I'm just really happy with my room.
Since moving in, I've been meeting the new members of the dorm. I'm surprised by how many are transfer students, and each one I have met has been wonderful. When you meet a bunch of new people, it makes mathematical sense that some of them might give you a weird vibe that you might not get along, but I genuinely think that I can have a friendship with each of the people I have met. It's really exciting to me.
Things haven't been eventfully exciting, but I'm so happy to be back home at school with my friend-family. It is so amazingly awesome to see these friends I have been missing for three months (which felt a lot longer than three months), and I feel very positive about the way things are beginning.
Today is awesome because I am happy with my home.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
American G-ds by Neil Gaiman (no spoilers)
I literally finished this book then opened my computer to write about it, so it's all very fresh. This was a book that I have been interested in reading for three or four years now, but never committed to finding myself a copy. I had also been discouraged by some of my friends who had read it because they thought some of the content would intimidate me. Well, I liked it, and now I'm going to tell you why.
I thought the plot was very interesting. The idea of G-ds based on what people believe in rather than a set faith was really interesting and relevant in an increasingly secular society. Gaiman counterpoints mythical G-ds like Loki and Odin with a modern crew, one of whom is called Media.
I liked Shadow. He was a likeable character as a result of his flaws. The book begins with him in prison, so you already know he isn't perfect, and you don't really know what to expect from him. He does exceed expectations in most cases.
I liked the mythical imagery that Gaiman used. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll leave it at that.
Now for the critique:
I didn't really know where the book was going until I was about two hundred pages into it (my copy was 588 total). That's a lot of effort and commitment to something that you might not even enjoy. I also didn't like that the chapters were each about thirty pages long, so it was hard to find a stopping point when I didn't have time for the entire thing. There also weren't many characters that I liked in the sense that I want to make fanart about them or the things that they say. I guess I'd say I liked the book, but there are other books that I've liked better. I think The Graveyard Book was more my style in the canon of Neil Gaiman.
That's about it. Do I recommend it? Yes. Am I going to re-read it? Probably not, at least not for a number of years. Will I keep my copy or sell/donate it? Keep. Mostly because it has a pricetag from China, but I also respect the work enough that I don't want to give it up.
Today is awesome because I finished my book!
I thought the plot was very interesting. The idea of G-ds based on what people believe in rather than a set faith was really interesting and relevant in an increasingly secular society. Gaiman counterpoints mythical G-ds like Loki and Odin with a modern crew, one of whom is called Media.
I liked Shadow. He was a likeable character as a result of his flaws. The book begins with him in prison, so you already know he isn't perfect, and you don't really know what to expect from him. He does exceed expectations in most cases.
I liked the mythical imagery that Gaiman used. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll leave it at that.
Now for the critique:
I didn't really know where the book was going until I was about two hundred pages into it (my copy was 588 total). That's a lot of effort and commitment to something that you might not even enjoy. I also didn't like that the chapters were each about thirty pages long, so it was hard to find a stopping point when I didn't have time for the entire thing. There also weren't many characters that I liked in the sense that I want to make fanart about them or the things that they say. I guess I'd say I liked the book, but there are other books that I've liked better. I think The Graveyard Book was more my style in the canon of Neil Gaiman.
That's about it. Do I recommend it? Yes. Am I going to re-read it? Probably not, at least not for a number of years. Will I keep my copy or sell/donate it? Keep. Mostly because it has a pricetag from China, but I also respect the work enough that I don't want to give it up.
Today is awesome because I finished my book!
Monday, September 17, 2012
"Grenade" The Song
I hate Bruno Mars' song "Grenade," and I have ever since the first time I heard it. The chorus goes like this:
I'd catch a grenade for you
Throw my hand on a blade for you
I'd jump in front of a train for you
You know I'd do anything for you
I would go through all this pain
Take a bullet straight through my brain
Yes I would die for you baby
But you won't do the same
I really hate these lyrics because of their implications regarding the meaning of love. I just have this mental picture of some guy making a point to find a way to cause himself bodily harm to prove to a woman that he cares deeply for her. All I can think is that if I saw a guy stab himself because he has some convoluted idea that I would find it romantic, I probably wouldn't even talk to him in the first place.
I think that popular culture and popular music especially have this very superficial sense of what love is. These media avenues glorify a life of debauchery and promiscuity, constant clubbing, judging people by how they look (and, yes, One Direction does this as well; the song is about not knowing she's beautiful, not how much these guys value her intellect or ambition), and keeping crazy standards of how to express your feelings for another person.
There's another song, "More Than Alive" by Luke Conard/ALL CAPS, and the lyrics of this song detail all the little things that make the singer love the significant other. It names things like holding hands at a rock show (wrock? could be with that demographic), getting beat in Tetris, sharing a grilled cheese sandwich, and "fixing your car on a Sunday afternoon." I really like this song because loving a person in real life is about all the everyday things you do together that feel special because you do them together.
I also strongly believe that the ideal of romantic love is upheld as the ultimate way to love, rather than having more of a cultural emphasis on familial love or love between friends. These less glorified types of love are what we experience the most because as romantic interests come and go, family and friends are still around. They aren't going to go out of their way to prove their love through surviving bodily harm; these are the people who bring you medicine and soda when you're sick, who listen when you have a problem even though they don't have any obligation to care, the ones who appreciate you when you don't do anything particularly special but it makes a difference to them.
I've been thinking a lot about this because I have long drive times and started listening to popular music ever since my first Dance Marathon when I decided I had to make an effort to actually know some of the music they play to be able to do a good job lighting it. Popular music is so fixated on romance and clubbing that I'm getting to the point where I'm numb to the content and the beats and singers sound the same (thanks to Melodyne or similar software, nobody actually uses autotune). I just wish there were more stories being told through song and I miss the good stuff being what's fresh. I also wish it felt less weird to say "love you" to my best friends the way it is acceptable to say it to my family.
So that's my rant about why I hate the song "Grenade." The lyrics stink and emphasize a stupid hormonal reaction that is misconstrued as love.
And with that, I leave you with Baby Monkey Going Backwards on a Pig
Today is awesome because I got to be with my family.
I'd catch a grenade for you
Throw my hand on a blade for you
I'd jump in front of a train for you
You know I'd do anything for you
I would go through all this pain
Take a bullet straight through my brain
Yes I would die for you baby
But you won't do the same
I really hate these lyrics because of their implications regarding the meaning of love. I just have this mental picture of some guy making a point to find a way to cause himself bodily harm to prove to a woman that he cares deeply for her. All I can think is that if I saw a guy stab himself because he has some convoluted idea that I would find it romantic, I probably wouldn't even talk to him in the first place.
I think that popular culture and popular music especially have this very superficial sense of what love is. These media avenues glorify a life of debauchery and promiscuity, constant clubbing, judging people by how they look (and, yes, One Direction does this as well; the song is about not knowing she's beautiful, not how much these guys value her intellect or ambition), and keeping crazy standards of how to express your feelings for another person.
There's another song, "More Than Alive" by Luke Conard/ALL CAPS, and the lyrics of this song detail all the little things that make the singer love the significant other. It names things like holding hands at a rock show (wrock? could be with that demographic), getting beat in Tetris, sharing a grilled cheese sandwich, and "fixing your car on a Sunday afternoon." I really like this song because loving a person in real life is about all the everyday things you do together that feel special because you do them together.
I also strongly believe that the ideal of romantic love is upheld as the ultimate way to love, rather than having more of a cultural emphasis on familial love or love between friends. These less glorified types of love are what we experience the most because as romantic interests come and go, family and friends are still around. They aren't going to go out of their way to prove their love through surviving bodily harm; these are the people who bring you medicine and soda when you're sick, who listen when you have a problem even though they don't have any obligation to care, the ones who appreciate you when you don't do anything particularly special but it makes a difference to them.
I've been thinking a lot about this because I have long drive times and started listening to popular music ever since my first Dance Marathon when I decided I had to make an effort to actually know some of the music they play to be able to do a good job lighting it. Popular music is so fixated on romance and clubbing that I'm getting to the point where I'm numb to the content and the beats and singers sound the same (thanks to Melodyne or similar software, nobody actually uses autotune). I just wish there were more stories being told through song and I miss the good stuff being what's fresh. I also wish it felt less weird to say "love you" to my best friends the way it is acceptable to say it to my family.
So that's my rant about why I hate the song "Grenade." The lyrics stink and emphasize a stupid hormonal reaction that is misconstrued as love.
And with that, I leave you with Baby Monkey Going Backwards on a Pig
Today is awesome because I got to be with my family.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Tae Kwon Do, Possible Futures, and Doctor Who
I will openly admit that it's been nearly a month since I've posted at all, and longer than that since I've posted anything of substance. Not sure how meaningful this post will be, but I will try.
It's my last week at home before starting junior year. Three years of college. That's insane!! It's gone by really fast and I kind of still feel new to this whole thing. I have a lot to look forward to this year, especially the surprise renovations to my dorm, and I really can't wait to meet the new freshmen. I've been corresponding with a few of them who seem really awesome and I really want to meet them.
Anyway, this week is going to go really fast. I have family stuff Monday and Tuesday to occupy my time, Thursday I have a bunch of finishing up/final visit plans, and I leave on Saturday, so Wednesday and Friday are all about packing. That bit should be easy, though, since I'm mostly taking back clothing as that's the majority of what I took with me from school to go to China. I still can't believe that actually happened.
During my six weeks at home, I really haven't done much of anything, which is exactly what I needed. I spent time with my family (including a quick vacation with the parents), got in those singular hello-goodbye visits with my high school friends as they all left for school before me, and mostly was lazy then went to the gym and Tae Kwon Do.
Tae Kwon Do is always an amazing thing to come home to. My school has a really fantastic community, and I am always happy to return to those friends. No matter how long I'm gone or what I've forgotten (and it took me a week to get all my stuff back this time around), they are always supportive and cheerful and make me feel welcome and appreciated. There are few places where you can find such a special group, and I've loved my time with them this summer. I especially turn to this group now that I'm in an official 15-month countdown to my second degree promotion test, and they're helping me drill my stuff while I'm home to be able to practice while I'm away. This activity is more than just a sport that I do; it's an art, a community, a philosophy, and the thing that gets me through the weeks that would otherwise be empty.
As I'm preparing to leave for this third Fall Quarter, I'm really not having any of the feelings I've had during previous breaks as I've had to detach from one life to go into another. I think since China I've really begun to come to terms with the fact that my childhood home will probably not be my adult home and that part of my growing process is that I'm not here as much as before. As a kid, I never really thought about the idea of moving somewhere else, but in today's world my career might just take me elsewhere. It is painful to think about a possible permanent detachment from these familiar places and people who I have come to care about so deeply, and there should be a "but" that spins this to be a positive about my future success and how I can always come back, but nothing really dulls the pain of missing people. It's true that there is a positive aspect to it, but that doesn't make the leaving less difficult when there's no timeline to come back.
I guess I've become rather somber in my deeper thoughts, but in other news DOCTOR WHO HAS BEEN AMAZING!!!! I've loved the way this season has been written so that each episode is self-contained and can be given a "movie poster" graphic preview. The characters are developing in directions they otherwise could not have taken, and the way that the Doctor is going back to the end of Martha attitude and Amy had to pull a "Runaway Bride" Donna Noble type reality check for him was really telling of the way that these characters are growing. Moffat and Chibnall have been writing some fantastic twists into the canon (especially who those Daleks on the Asylum are...heartbreaking!). It's just so good! And I still do a happy dance every time "Blink" comes on BBC America. That's actually what I've been doing on the weekdays: sleep in, watch Doctor Who on BBC America, then eat lunch, gym, TKD, home for dinner with the fam. I really love this show.
I'm going to wrap things up here. I was clinical, gushy, nostalgic, and excited all in one post. Enjoy.
Today is awesome because I got to make family recipes with my mom and grandma.
It's my last week at home before starting junior year. Three years of college. That's insane!! It's gone by really fast and I kind of still feel new to this whole thing. I have a lot to look forward to this year, especially the surprise renovations to my dorm, and I really can't wait to meet the new freshmen. I've been corresponding with a few of them who seem really awesome and I really want to meet them.
Anyway, this week is going to go really fast. I have family stuff Monday and Tuesday to occupy my time, Thursday I have a bunch of finishing up/final visit plans, and I leave on Saturday, so Wednesday and Friday are all about packing. That bit should be easy, though, since I'm mostly taking back clothing as that's the majority of what I took with me from school to go to China. I still can't believe that actually happened.
During my six weeks at home, I really haven't done much of anything, which is exactly what I needed. I spent time with my family (including a quick vacation with the parents), got in those singular hello-goodbye visits with my high school friends as they all left for school before me, and mostly was lazy then went to the gym and Tae Kwon Do.
Tae Kwon Do is always an amazing thing to come home to. My school has a really fantastic community, and I am always happy to return to those friends. No matter how long I'm gone or what I've forgotten (and it took me a week to get all my stuff back this time around), they are always supportive and cheerful and make me feel welcome and appreciated. There are few places where you can find such a special group, and I've loved my time with them this summer. I especially turn to this group now that I'm in an official 15-month countdown to my second degree promotion test, and they're helping me drill my stuff while I'm home to be able to practice while I'm away. This activity is more than just a sport that I do; it's an art, a community, a philosophy, and the thing that gets me through the weeks that would otherwise be empty.
As I'm preparing to leave for this third Fall Quarter, I'm really not having any of the feelings I've had during previous breaks as I've had to detach from one life to go into another. I think since China I've really begun to come to terms with the fact that my childhood home will probably not be my adult home and that part of my growing process is that I'm not here as much as before. As a kid, I never really thought about the idea of moving somewhere else, but in today's world my career might just take me elsewhere. It is painful to think about a possible permanent detachment from these familiar places and people who I have come to care about so deeply, and there should be a "but" that spins this to be a positive about my future success and how I can always come back, but nothing really dulls the pain of missing people. It's true that there is a positive aspect to it, but that doesn't make the leaving less difficult when there's no timeline to come back.
I guess I've become rather somber in my deeper thoughts, but in other news DOCTOR WHO HAS BEEN AMAZING!!!! I've loved the way this season has been written so that each episode is self-contained and can be given a "movie poster" graphic preview. The characters are developing in directions they otherwise could not have taken, and the way that the Doctor is going back to the end of Martha attitude and Amy had to pull a "Runaway Bride" Donna Noble type reality check for him was really telling of the way that these characters are growing. Moffat and Chibnall have been writing some fantastic twists into the canon (especially who those Daleks on the Asylum are...heartbreaking!). It's just so good! And I still do a happy dance every time "Blink" comes on BBC America. That's actually what I've been doing on the weekdays: sleep in, watch Doctor Who on BBC America, then eat lunch, gym, TKD, home for dinner with the fam. I really love this show.
I'm going to wrap things up here. I was clinical, gushy, nostalgic, and excited all in one post. Enjoy.
Today is awesome because I got to make family recipes with my mom and grandma.
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