This break has been pretty good. I (tried to) relax (I found out that I really can't...). I got engaged and spent copious time with my fiance (who I still refer to as my boyfriend). I went to Philly and saw my best friend not once, but twice! I had a wonderful Christmas (even if one omitted the aforementioned engagement).
But now I have to go back to school.
I don't wanna.
This is the first time in the history of history that I didn't want to go to school. Even before I knew exactly what school entailed, I knew I wanted to be there. It's where the action was. When I was about to start kindergarten, my school district experienced a teacher's strike. I was five, so I wasn't entirely clear on the labor relations front in 1991 and I just assumed I was going to West Creek Hills Elementary on a fateful day in August, as promised. That didn't exactly happen. The district and the teacher's union debated (I can assume) salaries, benefits, and the like. And every day, I would toddle (five year olds toddle, don't they?) into my parents room and look at them with my big brown eyes that hungered to learn and they would tell me that I wasn't going to school. Crushed, I would return to my room, put that day-of-the-week pair of under-roos back in its drawer and place tomorrow's pair out with my first day of school outfit. Then I would toddle with Bunky and blankie in tow down to the family room and watch the 7 am installment of Sesame Street.
How long did little Megan Colleen suffer?
Over a month.
The strike was so long that they had to send the seniors in to school with non-union teachers so that they would graduate on time to attend any early college sessions and get applications in early enough. Finally, the strike ended and on September 30, 1991, I began school. As a side note, this story has an epilogue. When I was in high school, the AP history teachers hosted Trivial Pursuit Nights on Fridays and at the end of the year, they would roast the seniors. In my senior year, I was roasted and received 2 gifts. From my 9th and 11th grade history teacher, a fake Oscar. From my 10th grade teacher (who I attribute my American Studies inspiration to), a copy of Captain Underpants. At a parent-teacher conference, my parents told that little story about my days-of-the-week underpants to the aforementioned teacher and he never forgot. Thanks Mom and Dad.
Anyway, I don't know when I burned out, but I don't want to go back tomorrow. Ugh. Additionally, being engaged makes me want to spend even more time with Jason, so I miss him twice as much as I did before December 25th.
Only seven more months...
I'm peachy.
1.12.2009
1.04.2009
Dance Rant.
So, I'm watching this show on NBC called "Superstars of Dance".
There are eight nations and each submits a solo, duo, and a group.
The Irish group did what Irish dancers do best. It was awesome.
Then the United State's solo contestant popped.
REALLY? Popping looks cool, but it's not the type of dance that would win you an overall dance competition. Can't we define that as something else? That frustrates me on SYTYCD, a bunch of people get on for being genuinely talented at popping, but then can't maintain the talent because they really can't dance all that well.
Doug tells me that he was a SYTYCD reject. We couldn't get one of the winners?
Sigh.
I'm Peachy.
There are eight nations and each submits a solo, duo, and a group.
The Irish group did what Irish dancers do best. It was awesome.
Then the United State's solo contestant popped.
REALLY? Popping looks cool, but it's not the type of dance that would win you an overall dance competition. Can't we define that as something else? That frustrates me on SYTYCD, a bunch of people get on for being genuinely talented at popping, but then can't maintain the talent because they really can't dance all that well.
Doug tells me that he was a SYTYCD reject. We couldn't get one of the winners?
Sigh.
I'm Peachy.
The year that was...2008.
So, like many of my other friends who blog, it has come time for me to complete a retrospective of "THE YEAR THAT WAS: 2008".
BEST FILM I SAW: The Dark Knight. (I saw Frost / Nixon on the 2nd, so that doesn't really count for 2008).
SADDEST MOMENT: Graduating from La Salle and leaving A-15.
HAPPIEST MOMENT: Getting engaged.
BEST TRIP: (tie) Senior Week in Ocean City, NJ with Sara / North Carolina with the Yinger's.
BEST COMFORT FOOD DISCOVERY: Tomato Soup (with Cheez-it Duos) and a Mousetrap from Roxy's.
BEST NEW FOOD: Cheesy Crab Soup
BEST SNACK FOOD: Crabbies!
BEST CHEESE DISCOVERY: Pepper Jack
PROUDEST MOMENT: Getting my Penn State Scholarship
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Finding out that Penn State Harrisburg wasn't what I hoped.
BEST PLEASANT SURPRISE: Getting a random roommate who is awesome!
BEST NEW DRINK: Grasshopper (Thanks Val!)
MOST FRUSTRATING MOMENT: My computer crashing.
BEST CD I BOUGHT: Juno Soundtrack.
MOST SURREAL MOMENT: Barack Obama winning the Presidency / Seeing Obama in person.
(more to come as I think of them...)
Overall, I'd have to say that 2008 was a pretty good year, although when I was half-way through it, I was beginning to believe that the opposite would be true. I hated leaving La Salle and it's happy bubble. I hated not living with my best friends any more. That probably sucked the most (and still sucks). However, I'm halfway through grad school now and can see the light at the end of that tunnel. I'm engaged and I'll spend the next year and change planning the wedding. 2008 was the first full year that Jason and I were together. I had never had that before. Stability is lovely. I have a blog listing my goals by the year 2014. Some are frivolous (Woah! Dream Big!), but some are totally do-able, and one is done already. 2009 will be a big year just in what I have to do in the next year. Phew. One more week until classes start. Less than a week until the 3rd annual Pocononononononononononos trip.
2009, I'm going to kick your ass.
I'm peachy!
BEST FILM I SAW: The Dark Knight. (I saw Frost / Nixon on the 2nd, so that doesn't really count for 2008).
SADDEST MOMENT: Graduating from La Salle and leaving A-15.
HAPPIEST MOMENT: Getting engaged.
BEST TRIP: (tie) Senior Week in Ocean City, NJ with Sara / North Carolina with the Yinger's.
BEST COMFORT FOOD DISCOVERY: Tomato Soup (with Cheez-it Duos) and a Mousetrap from Roxy's.
BEST NEW FOOD: Cheesy Crab Soup
BEST SNACK FOOD: Crabbies!
BEST CHEESE DISCOVERY: Pepper Jack
PROUDEST MOMENT: Getting my Penn State Scholarship
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Finding out that Penn State Harrisburg wasn't what I hoped.
BEST PLEASANT SURPRISE: Getting a random roommate who is awesome!
BEST NEW DRINK: Grasshopper (Thanks Val!)
MOST FRUSTRATING MOMENT: My computer crashing.
BEST CD I BOUGHT: Juno Soundtrack.
MOST SURREAL MOMENT: Barack Obama winning the Presidency / Seeing Obama in person.
(more to come as I think of them...)
Overall, I'd have to say that 2008 was a pretty good year, although when I was half-way through it, I was beginning to believe that the opposite would be true. I hated leaving La Salle and it's happy bubble. I hated not living with my best friends any more. That probably sucked the most (and still sucks). However, I'm halfway through grad school now and can see the light at the end of that tunnel. I'm engaged and I'll spend the next year and change planning the wedding. 2008 was the first full year that Jason and I were together. I had never had that before. Stability is lovely. I have a blog listing my goals by the year 2014. Some are frivolous (Woah! Dream Big!), but some are totally do-able, and one is done already. 2009 will be a big year just in what I have to do in the next year. Phew. One more week until classes start. Less than a week until the 3rd annual Pocononononononononononos trip.
2009, I'm going to kick your ass.
I'm peachy!
12.30.2008
I Can Hear the Bells...
So, as some of you may already know, Jason and I got engaged!
How he did it: On Christmas Eve, Jason went to my parents' house and did the traditional asking for my hand thing and bought the ring. He thought about proposing while we were in New York on the 28th, but once he had started the wheels in motion, he couldn't wait. He even had trouble sleeping, which if you know Jason, is quite a statement! On Christmas morning, he came to our house for brunch, and when I opened the door, he put a little towel down on the porch, got down on one knee (at this point I asked "What are you doing?", possibly assuming that Jason was doing his best Jim Halpert impression), and after he got the box out of his pocket, he asked: "Pickle (my nickname), will you spend the rest of your life with me?" and I said "Yes".
So, that's the story. I'm already feeling the pressure of planning and such, which is odd since the wedding is about 17 / 18 months away. I know it's going to be really stressful, but fortunately, I want to save money (so any advice / help is appreciated) and I don't want a grossly-expensive wedding. I just want to be married...and that calms me down every time. :)
Well, that's all.
I'm .... strike that .... we're peachy!
How he did it: On Christmas Eve, Jason went to my parents' house and did the traditional asking for my hand thing and bought the ring. He thought about proposing while we were in New York on the 28th, but once he had started the wheels in motion, he couldn't wait. He even had trouble sleeping, which if you know Jason, is quite a statement! On Christmas morning, he came to our house for brunch, and when I opened the door, he put a little towel down on the porch, got down on one knee (at this point I asked "What are you doing?", possibly assuming that Jason was doing his best Jim Halpert impression), and after he got the box out of his pocket, he asked: "Pickle (my nickname), will you spend the rest of your life with me?" and I said "Yes".
So, that's the story. I'm already feeling the pressure of planning and such, which is odd since the wedding is about 17 / 18 months away. I know it's going to be really stressful, but fortunately, I want to save money (so any advice / help is appreciated) and I don't want a grossly-expensive wedding. I just want to be married...and that calms me down every time. :)
Well, that's all.
I'm .... strike that .... we're peachy!
12.18.2008
Extreme Home Cry-fest
I know I'm going to get made fun of for this, but...
I was watching "Extreme Home Makeover" today during lunch (I was watching "I Love Lucy", but it ended) and they were helping a family with a son with cerebral palsy. Nothing out of the ordinary for this program.
I cried at least 4 times.
Not just misty eyes either, but almost sobbing about how beautiful it is to see people helping people (even if it might be a contrived reality show...). The cast of the show seems to really care about these people and the lives they live.
We were talking about being considerate the other day in my 21st Century Civilization Class. They were all complaining that no one ever holds doors or says "Thank You" any more. Now, perhaps La Salle is a bubble, but I don't recall people being too inconsiderate. Sure, the Masque kids laughed at people trying in vain to push the door to Backstage. Yeah, my dorm neighbors played their music loudly and drunkenly screamed at all hours. However, as we got older, that happened less. If you had an issue, especially with noise, you could usually go next door and ask politely for the music to go down. Here in my apartment now, the neighbors downstairs wake me up all the time because they choose to screech at their children at all hours of the morning. I can't go down there and ask them to quiet down...I've seen them in action outside and I'm almost afraid of them. The people who used to live upstairs from me had sex constantly...very loud sex. They moved. Maybe the people downstairs will move too.
People at Penn State think I'm some sort of weird communist because I think that people should have a chance to get a good education and enjoy learning and be part of their community. They think it's odd that I feel that people should take part in their community and represent the things they belong to when they go out into the world. Be good to others. I think that is strange.
I saw a sign the other day that said "Just Be Nice". That is my new phrase to live by.
I'm peachy.
I was watching "Extreme Home Makeover" today during lunch (I was watching "I Love Lucy", but it ended) and they were helping a family with a son with cerebral palsy. Nothing out of the ordinary for this program.
I cried at least 4 times.
Not just misty eyes either, but almost sobbing about how beautiful it is to see people helping people (even if it might be a contrived reality show...). The cast of the show seems to really care about these people and the lives they live.
We were talking about being considerate the other day in my 21st Century Civilization Class. They were all complaining that no one ever holds doors or says "Thank You" any more. Now, perhaps La Salle is a bubble, but I don't recall people being too inconsiderate. Sure, the Masque kids laughed at people trying in vain to push the door to Backstage. Yeah, my dorm neighbors played their music loudly and drunkenly screamed at all hours. However, as we got older, that happened less. If you had an issue, especially with noise, you could usually go next door and ask politely for the music to go down. Here in my apartment now, the neighbors downstairs wake me up all the time because they choose to screech at their children at all hours of the morning. I can't go down there and ask them to quiet down...I've seen them in action outside and I'm almost afraid of them. The people who used to live upstairs from me had sex constantly...very loud sex. They moved. Maybe the people downstairs will move too.
People at Penn State think I'm some sort of weird communist because I think that people should have a chance to get a good education and enjoy learning and be part of their community. They think it's odd that I feel that people should take part in their community and represent the things they belong to when they go out into the world. Be good to others. I think that is strange.
I saw a sign the other day that said "Just Be Nice". That is my new phrase to live by.
I'm peachy.
12.12.2008
I'm older.
Today is my birthday. Here are some facts about it: (thank you wikipedia)
1531 – The Apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe: According to traditional Catholic accounts, the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary miraculously appeared imprinted on the cloth of Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin's tilma during his last vision of her on the Hill of Tepeyac outside of modern-day Mexico City.
1897 – Belo Horizonte, the first planned city of Brazil, was inaugurated as Cidade de Minas.
1915 – President Yuan Shikai (pictured) of the Republic of China reinstated the monarchy and declared himself Emperor.
1985 - Arrow Air Flight 1285, a Douglas DC-8, crashes after takeoff in Gander, Newfoundland, killing 256, 248 of whom were U.S. servicemen returning to Fort Campbell, Kentucky from overseeing a peacekeeping force in Sinai.
1988 – In one of the worst railway accidents in the United Kingdom in recent times, a total of 35 people died and 500 others were injured during two collisions between three commuter trains near the Clapham Junction railway station in London.
2000 – The U.S. Supreme Court delivered its 5–4 decision in Bush v. Gore, ordering the election recount of the ballots cast in Florida for the 2000 presidential election to stop, which effectively ended the election in favor of George W. Bush.
I also share a birthday with the following people:
Bob Barker
Frank Sinatra
Sinead O'Conner
Jennifer Connelly
John Jay
William Lloyd Garrison
Edvard Munch
Laura Hope Crews (huge nerd points if you get that one)
Jesse Owens
Ed Koch
Dionne Warwick
Deaths that occurred:
1939: Douglas Fairbanks
2006: Peter Boyle
Additionally, for all the Catholics out there, I do not share my birthday with a saint. This is Our Lady of Guadalupe Day (see above). When I picked a confirmation name, this did not help. (I chose Elizabeth, for Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton)
Well, enjoy the day. I know I will. 23 is going to be huge.
1531 – The Apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe: According to traditional Catholic accounts, the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary miraculously appeared imprinted on the cloth of Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin's tilma during his last vision of her on the Hill of Tepeyac outside of modern-day Mexico City.
1897 – Belo Horizonte, the first planned city of Brazil, was inaugurated as Cidade de Minas.
1915 – President Yuan Shikai (pictured) of the Republic of China reinstated the monarchy and declared himself Emperor.
1985 - Arrow Air Flight 1285, a Douglas DC-8, crashes after takeoff in Gander, Newfoundland, killing 256, 248 of whom were U.S. servicemen returning to Fort Campbell, Kentucky from overseeing a peacekeeping force in Sinai.
1988 – In one of the worst railway accidents in the United Kingdom in recent times, a total of 35 people died and 500 others were injured during two collisions between three commuter trains near the Clapham Junction railway station in London.
2000 – The U.S. Supreme Court delivered its 5–4 decision in Bush v. Gore, ordering the election recount of the ballots cast in Florida for the 2000 presidential election to stop, which effectively ended the election in favor of George W. Bush.
I also share a birthday with the following people:
Bob Barker
Frank Sinatra
Sinead O'Conner
Jennifer Connelly
John Jay
William Lloyd Garrison
Edvard Munch
Laura Hope Crews (huge nerd points if you get that one)
Jesse Owens
Ed Koch
Dionne Warwick
Deaths that occurred:
1939: Douglas Fairbanks
2006: Peter Boyle
Additionally, for all the Catholics out there, I do not share my birthday with a saint. This is Our Lady of Guadalupe Day (see above). When I picked a confirmation name, this did not help. (I chose Elizabeth, for Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton)
Well, enjoy the day. I know I will. 23 is going to be huge.
12.09.2008
The big 2-3.
I'm not entirely sure why, but I'm really excited to turn 23.
Maybe it's because its an odd number. I've always enjoyed odd numbers, for some unknown reason. Perhaps because its an age most people are not at in college, so it's a real separation between college and grad school...although I doubt that. Otherwise, I have no idea. Even so, I'm excited.
3 days!
- I'm peachy.
Maybe it's because its an odd number. I've always enjoyed odd numbers, for some unknown reason. Perhaps because its an age most people are not at in college, so it's a real separation between college and grad school...although I doubt that. Otherwise, I have no idea. Even so, I'm excited.
3 days!
- I'm peachy.
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