I'll Probaby Regret This in the Morning

I will, really. After all, it's a quarter to one (how did that happen? Last time I checked the clock, it was only seventeen after...). I have a nine AM Mandarin Chinese class tomorrow, and I'm pretty sure I don't even speak English until at least ten.

It's been a busy-ish weekend, I suppose. Friday afternoon I left for a retreat with other members of the student committee for the Festival of Faith and Writing. We spent the evening at a lodge in Muskegon. There was even a beach, though the water was a bit chilly for my bare toes. And for once, I was, a successful beachcomber. My new friend Mary and I stumbled upon a pair of brass rabbits. Yes. Brass rabbit figurines. Do with that what you will. We named them River and Simon, because one looked like he was protecting the other. River now lives on my desk. I'll post pictures of her soon, I hope.

I know it's silly, but it makes me happy.

The sunset on the beach was glorious, and it was followed by dinner and Festival Jeopardy. My team, Dumbledore's Army, wasn't particularly successful, but we had a lot of fun guessing. The beds were surprisingly comfortable, and after a pleasant morning we were on our way back to Calvin.

Saturday night we went down to ArtPrize. Some of the pieces were interactive. Being college students with nothing better to do, we interacted.

It's like a flip book! With shadows!

Fun with forced perspective!

After church, I spent the afternoon with my grandparents. We went to the store and to dinner, and I told them all about what's been happening in my life. And my grandmother brought three cakes. It may be her not-so-subtle way of bringing boys to my apartment. Or she had a desperate urge to bake. I don't know. I don't argue with cake. Delicious, delicious homemade cake.

It is now officially past one, and I'm not so in love with coffee as to want to be drinking it all day tomorrow. So, goodnight.

I'll Figure Out a Title Later

This week has been interesting. Not quite the "Oh God, we're all going to die" interesting of Serenity, though the possibility of burning out was quite real. Because, if I'm going to be honest, I don't handle stress well. At all.

I'm getting better, I think. But considering where I started, my progress is still around a normal person's, how should I put it, anal-retentiveness. I can be fussy, if you want to put it more nicely and less honestly than my mother did. This week has been a little difficult. I have/had a lot on my plate, and it's hard for me to sit down and focus for extended periods of time. Anyone who's ever watched a movie with me can testify to this. And that's something fun.

So this year, I knew, would be an experiment in taking chill pills. This metaphorical self-medication isn't easy for me. I haven't been doing well. Yesterday was a tipping point. I had a Japanese test, the results of which I shudder to consider. So I was a bit...testy. High strung. Prone to venting that didn't always maintain the courtesy, respect, or clean language that every human being deserves when being spoken of or to. I should probably issue a blanket apology to everyone in my immediate vicinity for having to listen to me.

Sorry.

I don't know when my day started to turn around. Maybe when my mom gave me the brutal honesty my whiny self needs every once in a while (I still hate it, though. Hate. Hate. Hate it.). Maybe when I had the opportunity to get some things done, uninterrupted by distractions. But it was probably when I got an unexpected compliment.

I'd been forced to stare at my shoes all day from the sunshine. Keeping my head held high is something I'm working on, and somehow, despite the awkward eye contact, I've grown to enjoy it. And I needed a pick-me-up, so I wore my new sunglasses. They more than quite possibly make me look like a complete dork, but I love them. They make me happy.

As I walked out the door, a friend from English class last year was passing by. "Hey Alicia." He smiled. "You look really hip, with your glasses and everything."

That's right. Someone under forty called me hip. This never happens. Trying not to blow the perception, I smiled.

"Thanks," I replied suavely. "I try." And my smile stuck. I even chose a happy song to listen to on the way to Chinese conversation group. My step, dare I say, became sort of jaunty. My friend probably doesn't remember this mini dialogue, less than 24 hours later. But my evening was just dandy after he said it. And today was pretty fine too.

I can't promise that my chill pill will stick. After all, I've ranted about laundry- yes, laundry- on this very blog. But it's a start- I've been pretty optimistic for about 24 hours now, and that never happens.

I'm not perfect. Neither is my attempt at a duckface. Never again.

Destination Procrastination

On Fridays, I have a break between my internship and my last shift of the week. Perfect time, I'm sure, to get some work done before relaxing this afternoon. After all, there was reading to do for American Lit, worksheets for Chinese, etc. etc. But I hit my quota of motivation/energy for the day. I was, as per usual, in desperate need of a nap. And my cheap coffee maker failed me. It was a perfect storm of exhaustion and procrastination, as you can imagine.

In happier news, there was free, delicious cake at work. I brought a slice home with me, letting it slide about in the passenger seat. Thankfully, no frosting was harmed. And in the evening, I reunited with some old friends at the English department picnic. More free food. Another slice of free cake. And a free book!

Every year, the department chooses one book for "One Book, One Department." If you so choose to accept a free book, in return you attend discussion groups at professor's homes. It is, in the words of Professor Rienstra: "All the best things of an English class without the tests and papers." This year, in honor of the Festival of Faith and Writing this spring, the department decided to shake things up and do "One Festival, One Department." Instead of choosing one book, they chose four, each by an author attending the festival. I chose The Butterfly Mosque, by G. Willow Wilson.

I'm very excited, as I wanted to read this book and her graphic novel, Cairo, but was unable to do so because of my ever-changing address situation. It's too bad Amazon can't keep up with my semi-nomadic lifestyle, but I got a free book. All's well that ends well, as they say.

Hallie and I had a girl's morning. We went to Old Navy in search of clothes, the used book store for books, and Target for...what have you. Hallie walked away with a dress, I'm so happy to say. I completely missed my targets (tee hee), a winter coat and a coffee maker, and bought an owl purse (yes, you read that right), sunglasses, and colorful socks. All in all, a successful morning/early afternoon. And in the evening, I got roped into playing bocce ball with Hallie and some of the guys from Alpha. I'm sure we made an interesting spectacle as we wandered the KE grounds, tossing deceptively heavy balls around. We finished off the evening with a "love story," The Expendables. A very successful day.

Today (Sunday), I managed to remember to replace my coffee maker. I'm so excited that I'm drinking coffee past 6 PM just to enjoy having it again. I will rue this decision later, but for now, the caffeine high is making me very insouciant. 

The biggest news in Alpha 5 is the betrothal, engagement, what have you, of roomie/friend Elisabeth to upstairs neighbor/friend Chris! He did a very decent job at proposing (but, I have to admit, not so well at recounting the story), and we were all very, very giggly. This is a whole new experience for all of us, as Elisabeth is the first of us to take the plunge (brave girl), and we're very happy to be a part of it.

The semester adventures continue! What will happen next?

Jots and Tittles

The phrase just makes me laugh. Sorry.

Girl's Night Out was somewhat a success. It involved cheesecake, so I was pretty happy with the outcome. To make up for the cheesecake, I went out for a jog with Hallie on Sunday. I pretended that I was a super in shape cross country runner. Thankfully, we didn't meet any of the real thing to bust my illusions.

But it was back to work today. Two language classes are no joke, but thus far it hasn't been that bad. Mondays are a short day, and I took advantage of that. (Read: I took a long nap.) I should be at the gym at the moment, but my weekend languor has spilled over into my Monday. Not that I haven't been productive (and somehow developed a bad, bad habit of double negatives). Just unmotivated. Lacking in vim and verve.

I'm procrastinating my energy. So, a domani.

In Return

It has been quite the week. I am back at school, fully moved in and fully scheduled. The reunions have been fun; having my second family around me is, of course, wonderful. Considering this, I've been extraordinarily social between class, work, gym, and my internship.

Today has been particularly fun. This morning was Mud Bowl, where the apartments gather in recreational combat in a giant mud pit. Our team was the Spartans, and we tailored our cheers and self-decorations appropriately.

Before. Only a Spartan smiles before battle.

After. Even after taking a beating, we're still ready to fight.

Three hours later, after a hose-down and a shower, I am still digging mud out of my ears. Some individuals, you see, found it hilariously to pick me up and drop me in the mud. It doesn't taste particularly good, though my newly-exfoliated skin feels wonderful. Who needs a spa when you have free stuff just lying around and an excuse to play in it?

Tonight will be the exact opposite experience. From a muddy, barbarous Spartan, we're transforming into young women of the 21st century for a girl's night out. High heels, makeup, and dresses await, a far cry from the spectacle we were this morning. I, for one, am/was equally excited for both. I'm not sure what that says about my character, but at least I'm having fun.