This is a exert from the Chorale's most recent performance. It's a traditional shape-note tune called Pennsylvania. It takes awhile to load, but it's worth it because we're that cool!
Also, my most recent project in Figure Modeling. There are some aspects of this piece that I like a lot, so I tried to capture those in the pictures, and not capture the things about how I modeled her that I don't like. *shrug*
That's about all. I have two more chorale performances this weekend, and then about 2 or 3 a week until school ends. My Human Biology class is putting on a Human Bio fair for a local middle school, and my group is presenting about Eating a Rainbow, or basically about getting enough fresh fruits and veggies into your diet, and basic nutrition. Kinda cool. Only about a month left of school! Yeah, summer!
So, despite it all, all the doubts I've had, all the worries that I wouldn't live through these past few weeks, against all odds, I am still alive. I'm not done yet, but the end is becoming more and more defined, the closer I get to it. There isn't just a light at the end of the tunnel, but some definition to the shape of the end as well. I have a presentation in Women's Studies in a little over an hour, on the benefits, as well as the adverse health effects of oral contraceptives. Monday I have a presentation on The American Influence on the Beatles, and Vice Versa in my America's Music class, a revision and short presentation on my Ireland paper due in my Comp. class; Tuesday, a big compilation final that scares me to death, though I'm anticipating a lot of fun studying with people for it; Wed, a final reflection paper for Women's Studies, and then I'm DONE. And ohmaaaan. Am I ready to be done. In no way am I ready for Christmas though. I have so few means to budget and find shopping time for this holiday gone material-hungry. So, expect a gift of never-ending hugs from me, and be satisified? Please? ("Be Satisfied. Be satisfied!" - Romeo + Juliet) I'm thinking about, after getting some work done, making a trip to Ingles tonight, and getting things to make truffles, as presents for college-dwellers... I have 5 1/2 days left. I'm just hoping that I can put off crashing until Thursday night, when I get home. I'm running out of fumes to keep me going. Caffiene, Vitamin C... I can't really eat anymore. Not in excess amounts. I got some salad and a few fries down today at lunch. I ate part of a biscuit, and a couple of pieces of potato with gravy at breakfast. Cookies during comp. class. Nibbles here and there. Eating just makes me feel sick... I really can't wait to be home, and to be able to eat again. Be able to sleep again. Even when I have a few hours to sleep, like last night, I still wake up three or four times. Last night, I woke up at 4am, 6am, and a few other times when I just didn't bother looking at the clock. It's so frustrating. Anyway, that's me. My life. I'm not dead yet. Love, me.
In my Freshman Seminar class today, we had a visit from the Career Counseling on campus. I'd been looking forward to this, as I'd been having many doubts lately on various aspects of decisions that I'd made. I've already discussed some of these with people who may be reading this, but for those who haven't had their ears chewed off yet, I've been worrying about many things lately. In particular, whether I still want to go into acupuncture. I still like the idea of acupuncture, and have faith in it, but with how ingrained it is in the chinese culture, I'm worried that those elements of chinese culture that I really don't agree with would effect my experience negatively. Of course, there are many different other alternative medicine fields that I can hop into. Particularly nutrition is where I'm leaning now. But I'm also having difficulty absorbing my decision to go to college right now. At all. I'm getting more and more ancy, and all I really want is to be learning something that I can apply more immediately. If I went to culinary school, I'd be able to work at the same time, and I'd be out of school and working within two years. I'd be able to get a relatively good job wherever I went. So the rep. from Career Counseling had fun making us move around the room, looking at different areas where our strengths lay, and had us give critical feedback on a survey which we're going to have to take sometime this week. After class, which he let us out 30 minutes early from, he walked with me as I expressed some of these concerns that I've been having. And I feel no better after talking to him. To my concerns about needing to be somewhere where I could immediately start applying what I was learning, he expressed the opinion that even if I wasn't in college, it wasn't as though I could just start out by being a head chef. Just for the record, I do understand this. That would be the point of getting a job, and going to culinary school at the same time. Getting practical experience at the same time as I'm learning, so that I can immediately apply my knowledge. For my concerns about acupuncture, something that I've wanted to do for so long, and all of a sudden am having doubts about, because of the culture, he merely responds that I should try and get on the bandwagon for one of the Wilson World-Wide trips to China sometime. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I see how that would help if I was really interested in Chinese culture, and needed that experience to still encourage me further, expand my knowledge for my acuputure career. And maybe he was trying to suggest that if I went there, I would change my mind about some of the aspects of the Chinese culture which rub me the wrong way. But I just didn't get any of the comfort, or counseling that I was looking for. He kept on trying to refer my doubts somehow back to the survey which we had been looking at, and trying to rewrite some of the critiques, but not for my benefit, but rather for the benefit of the survey questions. Using my concerns as some concerns that he hadn't addressed on the survey, he asked for my input on where to fit in some of my concerns on the survey. Do I think that this sort of career counseling fits more under a situation where people would want a Person to talk to, or for resources to be available? I wanted to scream. Am I not talking to you, as a person, as a counseler, right now? Can you not recognize my need for... I don't even know what I need at this point. I have a 6-8 page paper due tomorrow, and two-5-6 page papers and a quiz due wednesday. I really just want to go to sleep for a week, and ignore everything, and everyone. Recognizing that sleep is my method of escape leads me to understand that I'm not enjoying myself right now. Maybe college isn't all about enjoyment though. I just didn't think that it would be as ultimately frustrating as this. Now, if only I could just magically be this prolific with the papers which I'm writing...
I know that I had some very strong feelings about my experiences last night and this morning, and I'm trying to figure out how to express them, to you, and to myself. I've only had about four hours of sleep, so I might not be as clear as I wish I could be, but I'll try. I stayed up in Fellowship Hall on campus last night, which is the hall connected to the Presbyterian (sp?) chapel on campus. I was staying there with a program called "Room In The Inn" which is a three month transitional program for woman who are homeless and jobless, to try and help them get back up on their feet. I guess that the story behind it is there used to be a large co-ed transitional shelter in Asheville, but that a lot of the woman were uncomfortable staying in a co-ed shelter because many of them had been abused by men. So the Room In The Inn program carries these women from church to church, giving them a place to stay, helping them find jobs, feeding them, etc. They usually stay about a week at each church facility. During the week that Room In The Inn is here on campus, we have students every night taking shifts staying up and keeping watch; mostly just in case one of the women wakes up and wants somebody to talk to, just making sure that they know that there's somebody there for them. There were about nine or eleven women staying with us last night, and about half of them were very talkative, and seemed to be very strong women, whereas the other half seemed so shy, and seemed like they didn't really want to be acknowledged at all. To be acknowledged would make the situation that they were in become much more real than they wanted it to be. Or maybe they were just tired. I imagine it's a combination of the two. There seemed to be a connection to some of the women. The ones who were more outspoken, most if not all of them smoked, and what's more, those same outspoken women all seemed to be missing their front top teeth. One of the women only had a sweatshirt and a flannel bathrobe to protect against the cold, and she was having wheezing, juicy coughing fits, as she would leave to go back outside in the freezing cold and smoke more cigarettes. I didn't hear any of these women's life stories, but over the course of the night, and of this morning, I heard snipets of their lives. A couple of the women would just randomly bring up one of their boyfriends, a story about when she made him angry, when they'd been fighting, and he went and shaved all of the hair on his head and face, except for his moustache. One of the women was saying that her boyfriend had taken off a week ago, and taken all of her identification with him, making it very difficult for her to find a job now. I look at these women, going to bed at 9pm, waking up at 5am, and they seem to be just sleepwalking through life. Yes, they're attempting to make their lives better, to become self-sufficient, but many of them seem so unmotivated about it. It almost seems that if they weren't given food and this warm place to sleep, along with all of the job searching aid and the 5am wake-up call, it just wouldn't be worth it. I wonder how many of these women will be on their own and out of this program by the time their three month time limit is up. I also am brought back to the question that I've been dwelling on frequently, more so recent years, of how to motivate anyone, including oneself. There was a little girl there for awhile last night too, who I was playing with. I finished knitting one of my rainbow hats when I was there, and she asked for it, so I gave it to her. I was afraid that the hat was going to be too big, but I forgot that heads don't grow too much, that we're born with pretty large heads in the first place. It was a good fit, and she was so pleased with it. It made me happy to see her enjoying it so much. She had to leave soon after that, and before she left she came and gave me a picture that she'd drawn. There were two girls on it, and one of them was telling a story about the name Sarah, and about how it was "a famous name". (The girl's name wasn't Sarah though.) We decided together that tattoos, especially fake ones, are super cool, and she was telling me about a fake tattoo that she saw which was a pool ball, with black fire coming from behind it, and how it was a "tattoo for boys". I tried to tell her that fire was pretty, and that girls were allowed to like fire too, but since it was black fire, she couldn't be convinced. Strange how much gender affects us, even so young. She's seven years old. I wish that the women had been more willing to talk about their situations, but I couldn't have asked them to. I want to know what their dreams are, if for no other reason than to just know that, even at this point in their lives, they still have dreams, if not the motivation to live them out yet. Anyway, it's 8:30am now. I've been awake since 5:30am, and didn't get to sleep until after 2am. I've had a bowl of fake peaches n' cream oatmeal, and one of Aunt Jemima's waffles. I've found a love for banana pudding, with the vanilla wafers, and the pudding, and the cool whip. It reminded me of my Mama's cooking. It was amazingly delicious, and precisely what I needed last night. And what I need now is sleep, but I'm not sure that I would wake up in 45 minutes for class if I slept now. I don't know. We'll see, I guess.
Otherwise, I'm doing fine. A little stressed, as this last week was insanely, horrifically, desparately stupid with homework. But I'm still alive, and still breathing. I should really get ahead on some of these big, end of the semester projects that I have looming up ahead of me this month. It's just so hard to get ahead. I get to come home in just over a week! I cannotcannotcannot wait. And I really need to do laundry. My socks smell like my boots.
I've already talked to some of you about this, but I'm having a lot of trouble re-adjusting to college, after coming back from visiting home. A lot of homework pressure, and a feeling of a lack of Bloomington-esque community here, that I don't know how to survive without. I'm thinking that I'm going to have to drop my new Term 2 backpacking class, because it requires that I take off every few weekends, for an Entire weekend, to go backpacking. Of course, this should be expected from a backpacking class, but I didn't realize that my life would be turned upside-down by homework this term. I have three papers due next week, a forth due the week after, and it's not even midterm anymore. I have at least one paper due every week for the rest of this semester, on top of all the readings, and main projects, and side projects, and written reflections. Not to mention gaining an hour at work every week this term, and still having to do two community service trips sometime. I'm freaking out. But I'll live. If anyone wants to give me some form of advice on how to handle my work load, I'd be amazed and grateful forever.
Just some pictures of campus, a couple of people, etc. It'd been awhile. Sorry for all of those who would rather I linked these images. I don't know that html... teach me?
Just outside of my dorm.
Bell tower and lamppost, again, just outside my dorm.
Bridge over to the upper-class dorms. This was built by students several years ago.
The science building, with a mountain in the background.
Some of our farm, and some of our cows, and some more mountains.
This swing is one of the best stress-relievers on campus...
No really important visual information. Just a BMW, and mountains, and sooo much sky.
Hannah, at the Cafe! Apparently, we're the same person. Apparently, we have the same mannerisms, etc. It's crazy.
Miss Emily, with her newest piercings! (Hint: Check the knuckles...) Her rowing team won silver today!
Suz-a. (Every picture of her, ever, could be framed. I think this one would be an amazing album cover.)
Talula and I.
Not much else going on. Tests on Tues. and Wed., "beginnings of a paper" due Wed. (No idea what professor means by that, need to ask...), readings due Mon., writings and journal entries due Tues. It's gonna be a fun week. But I got my LEAF volunteer confirmation information!!! *happy dance* Tyann came last night, and visited through this morning. She had an amazing time (besides losing her wallet on the way up), and an amazing interview, and it was a lot of fun. We carved a pumpkin with Lindsay, and danced at a dance party at Sage dorm for a long time. It was Freezzing last night, and staying out caused me to wake up with the sniffles, but I'll survive. Good thing tomorrow's Sunday, and I have time to finish all of this homework... Other than that, one week until I'll be coming home!
I wish that my hair would stay like this for forever...
So, there's not too much to update on, but I thought that I'd better update anyway, just because it'd been awhile. I'm still alive, still doing homework. I've realized that homework is going to pretty much be a constant. Even if I don't have a specific assignment due the next day, I'll forver have two or three class projects looming in the background, and slowing zooming in, coming into focus... (Who can tell that I've been studying for my Film Analysis test on Tuesday??? "Yeah Buddy!", as Able-boy would say...) Got back my first two essays, and my first quiz. The quiz is embarrassing, I studied events from people's names, and the questions were to name people from events. I'm bad at remembering names. I know better now. But my College Comp. Essay, even Before revision, I got a 93 on! W007!!1 My other essay, I need to revise and reformat in MLA citation formatting, before I can get graded and credit for it. But I think I did a good job on it. Heads-up to Harmony kids; Find out formal MLA and APA citation formatting now! Ask Sal or Tom to teach it!!! It'll be helpful to be able to avoid the headache later on.... Had a really quiet weekend. Spent a few hours cleaning my dorm room last night, because it needed it, and because most of my buddies were out at the Ladytron show in town. I would've been too, but The Orange Peel says that they don't admit anyone with expired ID's, and my permit expired August 31st, and the show was an 18+ show. Apparently it wasn't nearly as strict, and some WWC kids got in with their student ID's, which have no age/birthdate info, but I didn't want to risk it. Guess what I'm doin' over Fall Break??? That's right, renewing my permit! It was apparently an amazing show. I guess my manager, Mandy and her girlfriend, Erin were there, and Mandy was wearing some pretty amazing blue glittery make-up. I hope someone took pictures... Anyway, tired. Need to remember to call x2042 tomorrow, and register for a booth for Homecoming sat. so that I can sell hats and baked goods, and make some $$$. I wonder how well some 'white trash' would go down.... It's soo tasty. I might just be looking for an excuse to make it... I don't really think that I'm ready to start the week again. I much prefer doing homework to doing all the class and work stuff. I'm bad at running around, and still managing my time. My dorm room is getting a lot more comfortable. My bed is nice and cave-like. But it needs to be softer. I need some more foam mattressing, or something. Maybe a twin futon. Or one of those Japanese roll-up mattresses. Except those are uber expensive. Or maybe I just have only seen them at Urban Outfitter's. Maybe Urban is just ridiculous. Maybe I'm ridicuous. Ridiculously tired. I've slept waaay too much this weekend, and thus, I'm a zombie. I need to go back to 5-6 hours a night. There seems to be no happy medium. Gonna go and finish homework now. Hope that everyone's doing well. Been a long time since I got any mail. Hinthintnudgenudge.
So, I found some pretty mushrooms today, and let my love for my father overcome my fear of letting all my friends understand once and for all what a dork I am/have been raised. This is for you, Papa... [They're also pretty pictures. I thought that I did a pretty good job with most of them...]
Just for comparison's sake:
That's all. It's pretty out today. I'm in the middle of preparing my dorm room for lofting my bed!!! That involves takin' all my wall decor. down beforehand, but it'll be so much nicer once it's done. I'm gonna take my futon nest-chair back with me, I think, to keep underneath my bed. Man, I'm psyched. And I've got a rat on my shoulder...
Last night was an AMAZING night for contra dancing. I have chosen/discovered my 4 favorite contra dance partners! And there are lots more that are just plain fun to dance with. Only one blister today!!! But I broke the heel of one of my flats, so I really really need some new dance shoes now...!
If you're trying to call me on my dorm phone, ever since the thunder/lightning storm that we had on Fri? Thur? the phone hasn't really been working. The internet was down for a few hours, but has since come back, obviously. But I'll be sending an email to the powers that be tonight, and trying to get the phone lines up and working again.
So I had a few minutes free of homework and classes, and anything else that has been on my plate, so I thought that I'd update a bit. I'm doing ok in my classes, being ontime, present, getting homework in ontime... So much homework. I'm not used to doing so much, cramming every single night. LONG weekend, lots of emotions. Matthew and I talked on Saturday, and we've decided that this long-distance relationship wasn't working. We just weren't talking and communicating enough. Even though we both realized that it had to happen, it was still really hard to accept, and especially hard to focus on homework afterwards. I had my first big essay due this morning, and while I finished it, it certainly didn't turn out all that well. Hopefully when it goes through the class workshop and critique, I'll be able to re-write it without so much distraction. I went with Lindsay and Jackie to this Open Housee for a place called Full Moon Farms, which helps rehabilitate Wolf Dogs, and helps to find them caring families to adopt them. That was exciting. Completely unorganized, we got given the wrong directions about 5 times, and didn't get there until AFTER 7pm, which is about the time we had been planning to leave, in order to get back before dark. But, for the few minutes that we wandered around and saw the wolf dogs, they were sweet and pretty... After getting back, we had our own little picnic in Jackie's room, with hummus and pita and potato salad. Then, they decided to help distract me again by taking me out to this dj-ed dance party that was going on in Asheville. It was a long long walk to and from the venue, but it was amazing once we got there. It was right next to train tracks, and trains went by about three times during our time there. It made me homesick, but it was also comforting, in many ways. I've got to get ready to go to class now. I'm going to make sushi tonight, and I'm going to TRY and save most of it, to eat during my film class tomorrow, while watching Dreams. I've started to write people back, long-hand, so expect return mail, finally! Love, Gena.
So, I need to be doing homework right now, but I thought I'd update for a second. I lived through my first week of classes, and that's apparently the hardest. I don't know if that's true, because now I need to get used to doing 40 pages of readings a night, and one of my classes requires not only notes on all of my readings, but these notes have to relate to the topic questions of HER choice, need to be typed up, and need to be handed into her, every class. (M,W,F) Yeah. Thank god that's the only class like that, but still, it's bad enough. Just got off doing 5 hours at the Cafe... today's an offday, but it's prep-day for tomorrow. I made the granola myself this time, and it was a lot of fun, but no Mandy (the Assistant Supervisor, who makes listening to Justin Timberlake, and living, fun...), since it's a weekend. And it took me sooo long to do the granola myself, without any help. I was only able to make a 1/2 batch; I'll have to finish the other half on Tuesday or Wednesday, when I work next.
Just a note, if you want me to write you, please either leave your address on here, or email it to me: serene_normajean@yahoo.com , or write to me first!!!! (Sending me a letter or a package works for this, but postcards don't have return addresses, so if you send me a postcard, I can't write you back! Please, someone, let IzzzIzzz/Squeezzz and Nuke know this, so that I can get their mailing addresses!!!)
My roommate, Kelly, and I are still getting along spendidly, though music-wise, NIN on a constant basis kind of depresses me. And when it's not NIN, it's Bob Marley, which also kind of depresses me on such a large scale. There are little breaks, where Pink Floyd and Tori Amos make their way in there, which are nice little interludes, but then the NIN/Marley eats the world again.
In fact, my head really hurts right now. I think I may go and finish my homework in the hallway, where I'll get distracted more...
So, some pictures to finish:
Me! Kinda happy; TIRED.
What happens to you, if you sweep and mop for two hours...
What happens to you, if you touch a straight-out-of-the-oven hot pan to your arm. Even if it wasn't on purpose. Don't worry, though. I'm healing wonderfully, from both of these ailments. I just thought that I'd milk some sympathy...
I don't have to be anywhere until 9:30am tomorrow!!! Oh, it feels so nice, to realize that... *sighhhh*
I've had such a long day, having to wake up at 6am (10 till 6, you all know how my clocks work) to be at work by 7:30am, and then I had to work a second shift, because my boss had forgotten to get someone else to cover for my original shift, that I had thought conflicted with my schedule. It turns out that my schedule didn't conflict with the original times he gave me, and so I could've only had to done ONE early morning shift this week. But since he's already rescheduled me, I still have to do the 7:30am shifts. (I'll be up to almost 19 hours by friday, noon, even though we're supposed to only keep it to about 15.) Then I had to come in again at 12:30, and spend two hours doing after-lunch clean-up. Including mopping, as it's raining outside, as I have to watch all these students come through every few minutes, and though almost all of them apologized, it's still so frustrating. I like cooking and prep work sooo much more. Even dishes would've been preferable. And I chopped soooo many onions this morning, that my hands and arms still REEK of them, despite all the lotions, cleaning supplies, and handwashings... This smell of onions reminds me of Harmony's old greenhouse, and all my memories in there. Makes me homesick. Heh, it's funny to be homesick for something that's not there anymore. Anyway, classes were alright. Long, again, though. I'm trying to get all my homework done now, tonight, so that I can be lazy tomorrow (after I get off work) on my 'day off'. (I plan on napping, and then drinking lots of caffiene in the evening, before the contra dancing starts!) But, even though today has been such a long day, and I never thought that I could see beauty in the world ever again; then, like has been happening a lot lately, the world caught me by surprise: I love it when the sun shines, when it's raining. I am blissful. I am content. I am at peace. I am here and now, and homesick, and whole, and sad, and relieved, and at home. I am. love, gena.
So, first day of classes! Not just first day of classes, but the first day at the CowPie Cafe too! Only a few events to note (Besides the fact that all went ver' ver' well!); I showed to the Contemporary Astronomy class, the one that I was waitlisted for, and, even with me there, only 22 students altogether showed! (In a class where he was allowing for 25 students!) I ran after that, and after he told me that there'd be no problem with me joining the class, and got an Add/Drop slip, before going to the Women's Studies class that I was preparing myself to drop. I got to the class, and most of the friends that I've made already are in that class, and were all really sad that I was leaving. Since it didn't conflict with anything, I decided to just sit in on this one class, just to see what I was missing. Not that I was going to change my mind or anything... HA! (I'm a Gemini, what did I expect...lol..) So, 15 minutes into the class, I'm already planning on ripping up my Add/Drop form, and trashing (recycling)it. This teacher, Kim Duckett, is so down-to-earth, sarcastic, and fun. And the class sounds Incredible. A lot more down my alley, even than astronomy. I'll get in my star gazing some other way, I guess. PLUS, the Comtemporary Astronomy class would've conflicted with, guess what, Thursday Night Contra Dancing! Yes, I've been bit by the Contra Dancing BUG, and I will NEVER get better! [AND I DON'T WANT TO!] It's soooo much fun! So, anyway, yes to women's studies, no to star gazing + mathematics. Then... on to CowPie! I've already gotten in almost a whole 1/3 of my hours for this first week, just from today! We had a two hour meeting, all of us, just about CowPie policies, etc. then we broke up to our separate ways (I went and bought my books, $200+ dollars, and still one more class to buy for; RIDICULOUS!), but I made plans to come back and work this evening, since we open officially tomorrow morning. When I came in, I got handed an apron, and after some debating, I was set with this one girl (a junior, but I feel bad, I don't remember her name...), and we made homemade granola! Soooo much of it! And it was DELICIOUS! I had a lot of fun, even washing the dishes, because I could sing Ani DiFranco to myself, and not have to think at all, except about making dishes clean. It's a good crowd, and constant music! It's nice. Anyway, I must get some sleep, before I forgo sleep altogether. I've got to be at the cafe at 8am tomorrow, for my 5 hour shift(oiiii). My 5 hour shift, that segways nicely into my Tuesday, 3 1/2 hour class. But then I get to spend more money on more textbooks, for my Intro to Film Analysis class, [and then i get to mail my first letter!] w007! Tomorrow is to be a loooong day. But, feel my love, from far away. gena.
Last night was amazing! Strut played for a few hours, and I was definitely dancing for over an hour straight at that. We dressed my dorm neighbor, S(c)uz(annah) up as the tribal warrior animal that she is (I have pictures!) and then went dancing, then went down to the river to swim and cool off. Then, 7 of us, S(c)uz(annah), Abel (for anyone who knows Damien, Abel is like Damien's good mood twin! It's insane!!!!), Erin, Jackie and Lindsey(more quad neighbors), and Miss Emily (she's my Tenth Kingdom buddy, and who I'm going to be working at Cowpie with!) (and I) went off to Waffle House at midnight, making friends with the waitress, and singing along loudly and well to all of the songs that were playing on the jukebox. It's nice to know that I have a few people that I can connect with here now. I'm probably off to Asheville with peoples today, (we might be going to a celtic music night at one of the pub/venues in town that features celtic/irish music every sunday night! and nc will let me go and watch legally! w007!) before classes begin tomorrow, and we no longer have time to shop, or wander so much. Before I leave, may I introduce to you, Miss S(c)uz(annah); tribal warrior animal!
Love, gena.
P.S. So, confession time: I never thought that I'd choose to listen to Carrie Newcomer on my own. This is awkward to admit, because it's not as though I don't like Carrie's music, but I've just been subjected to it, on repeat, for my whole life, that I never had to choose to listen to it on my own. But I woke up this morning, and had to listen to Krista Detor and Carrie Newcomer, and be homesick for a bit. Kinda the downer after all the fun last night, but it was cleansing, in some ways. That's all.
No, I'm not in France anymore, but instead, now I'm dwelling in Swannanoa, NC (just outside of Asheville, NC) at Warren Wilson College! I can hear you now. You're saying to yourself, "Gena??? A college student?!?!", because I still don't know what's up yet. Except that I start classes on Monday! And I've just lived through a week-long orientation to the college campus, which ended yesterday with a day-long community service work day. I spent the morning killing invasive species with blue chemicals (supposedly the EDA deemed these chemicals benign for humans and animals, just not for plants...) and the afternoon clearing brush and thorns and poison ivy out of a creek bed, next to a park, so that people driving by could get a spendid view of... the tennis courts. Not quite what I expected, but it's been fun, even with the sunburn and poison ivy. The classes that I'm starting on Monday are as follows: America's Music - MWF1 9:30-10:50am College Comp. 1 - MWF1 11am-12:20pm then one of two classes that I'm playing off each other right now. Either: Contemporary Astronomy - MW 1-2:20pm TH 8:30-9:50pm (the class I'm waitlisted for, that I want to get into) or, the class I'm in, if I don't get into Contemp. Astron. Intro. to Women's Studies - MWF1 2:30-3:50pm
And then, last but not least: Intro to Film Analysis - T 1-4:20pm
AND I got my work crew assignment today!!! Let me explain. Everyone at Warren Wilson has to enroll in the Work Study program to come here. It takes about 2600 off of your tuition costs, and it's required that you do about 240 hours of work/service with your work crew every semester, and then 100 hours of community service to the local community somewhere throughout your 4 years at the college. So, I got assigned to work at the Cow Pie Cafe, which is AWESOME! It's directly below the cafeteria, and it's basically the cafeteria alternative. It was started, and continues to be run, by students, and is supposedly really really tasty. PLUS, I get to work there with one of my friends here, Miss Emily, and we'll both be spazzzzzzing around. We already spaz around anyway.
So, life seems pretty good, right now. I'm still homesick, and wish that some people could experience all this with me, but I'm alive, which I was dubious about before. I'm alive.
So this journal will now be my updates on college stuff, and how my life is, what I might need people to send me (I just bought a $30 calling card today! RIDICULOUS! People should send me phone cards!), how I'm feeling. This is where I'll post when I'm feeling really homesick, and just want to talk to people. Etc.
I love you all. Schedule for tonight: a band called STRUT is playing at the college, at 8pm. They are (apparently) disco-tech-ish? Exciting... Send me love! Leave comments! (If you don't have a livejournal yourself, you can leave comments under Anonymous, and then just sign them so that I know who you are!)
Love, Gena, the college student!
P.S. My contact information is on my info page! Write me! Send me Care Packages! Call me! I like people, I promise!
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parlergenevieve's journal
sleeeeepy
loopy
Freakin' out...
excited ~LEAF/coming home!
cold brrrrrrr....
zombie...BRAINS!!!
chipper
bouncy