The Thoughts of An Easily-Amused Individual--Shiny!

Simple Update

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:26:35 GMT

Yesterday we went on a Caravaggio walk to 3 different churches. It was interesting that people had to pay up to 1 euro to light a Caravaggio set-up at times. Otherwise the effects presented in the paintings were...

I've found I can't really describe it without sounding....ridiculously passive and superficial. "It's interesting" just seems adequate to me, so I guess I'm not one of those people who are strongly moved to tears by paintings/frescos. It makes me feel a little out of my depth, especially when all the cohort leaders/teachers/grad students have all these deep, meaningful reactions and all I can come up with is...."Cool." Which I guess is plenty enough, and the ~~adults~~ ~~older~~ more experienced people are expected to be capable of those observations. (There is one grad student who is 19; he went to college at 14, so...yeah. Way smarter than I.) Bah. The Caravaggio paintings rocked, my writing for that day didn't center around Caravaggio, and yesterday ended fine. Huzzah!

Today we went to the National Museum of Rome at Palazzo Massimo alle Terme. The contents of the museum made me tilt my head sometimes, and the mummy down in the basement creepified me to getting out ASAP, and there was a cool sculpture of an acrobat in the middle of his act that I was strongly interested in. As well as this little girl framed in something that looked like a window within a window. It reminded me of The Family of Blood episode in Doctor Who though, so taking notes on the girl just led me down the path of writing a 4-line, 4-stanza poem of a haunted house. It's not a very good creepy poem, and I was somewhat glad I didn't get a chance to share today because Rick was in our cohort today and I'm intimidated by the thought of sharing poetry with him, especially when I feel the concept would have been better delivered in a prose format.

Other highlights: buses in Rome are, while cheap (just 1 euro for 1-way), WAY too unregulated. They stuff the bus as full as it will be filled, regardless of traffic hazards. There were people crammed against the doors at the front of the bus and even a little against the front windows; I was pressed into the plexiglas separating the bus driver from the aisle. If you get stuck with 2 really attractive, nice-smelling boys, then it's not so bad. When you get stuck with 2 kinda-okay-looking, terrible-smelling boys, it's not in the least bit good. On the bright side, raspberry and pineapple (two separate flavors in one cup!) gelato is AWESOME!!! Especially when you're randomly craving fruity stuff.

Oh. ~~Forgot~~ Repressed about yesterday: I was eating pizza bianca (just pizza crust with some olive oil; very delicious) in Piazza Farnese on this convenient ledge jutting out from a building, and a pigeon excreted on my head. It was only a little pebble-sized excrement, but....yeah. I've now experienced everything a person needs to experience in life to be a well-rounded person. Bee-stung. Pooped on by a bird. The stereotypical bad college roommate.

Tomorrow we have another bus excursion to someplace well outside of Rome. It's a monastery, with the first (Italian, I believe?) printing press, and an extensive library. I have to wake up at 7AM to get to the bus at 8, but hopefully they'll get us that excellent charter bus again. Especially for a bus ride which will be ~1 1/2 hours.

And I hate the TV here. I wish it were broken. >.<

Edit 11PM: Tru Calling is coming out with a "complete series" DVD set. So that would be....TV series #14-ish that I need to get on DVD, at least 4 of which have 7-10 seasons. Yeeeeaaaahhhh.......

Davis: I’ve got this thing tomorrow at my apartment, and I haven’t unpacked.
Tru: When did you move in?
(Davis looks as through he counting back)
Davis: Three years ago.

Davis: (to Harrison) I'm so sorry. Please, accept my condolences. You were so... young.
Harrison: Dude, I'm still alive. I died yesterday. --Tru Calling

"Spanish food is nothing like Mexican food!"

Okay, So I Didn't Do Anything At All.....

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:03:54 GMT

I meant to. Really. Really seriously. I'd planned to at least go to Castel San Angelo, if I didn't make it to Pompeii or the catacombs.

But I had the apartment to myself, and it just felt nice not to have to fight with the other girls (meaning 3 of them) for rights to the apartment. It felt nice to sit back and not be required to go someplace at such-and-such time, and do this-and-this for the-near-future. It felt nice to have a vacation, in other words, which I would've had if I'd stayed in Olympia.

Today (Sunday) I made plans to go to Castel San Angelo, though. Then Cate, Tommi, Sara, James, Ben and I all went and got Chinese food (yeah, yeah, Chinese food in Italy, hahaha), then we went to Sara's apartment (Sara's and Ben & James' apartments, by the by, are SO much nicer than mine!) and played cards. Egyptian Ratscrew, B.S., and Spoons. Ben is fast like a freak (or a ninja), so he won Egyptian Ratscrew pretty easily. I hung in there, though! Tommi won B.S., and Cate won Spoons, though mostly that's because she wrestled the spoons out of people's hands, pretty literally. We got gelato afterward from Giolitti, which was good. I still prefer Blue Ice, though. Della Palma is one flavor away from pushing Blue Ice over and sharing the #1 spot, but I think I just like Blue Ice's texture better. Giolitti's coconut tasted too grainy for me. I'm sure someone out there is screaming in agony because I like the chain-brand better than an independant shop's, but...Y'know, Cate mentioned Blue Ice is to gelato as Baskin Robbins is to ice cream, and that comparison makes me feel just the tiniest bit of home.

So, yes, it's 5:30 now, and I believe San Angelo closes somewhere around 7-ish, sooo...I'm not going just to get rushed out. I'll sit on it. And I know I'm not the only one who stayed at Rome and did nothing, because Ben did as well, so I feel better about it. Tomorrow in cohorts, though, if that question of, "What did you do with your break?" comes up, I'm going to be so flipping irritated. If they go even further and assign us a pitch about it, I'm going to make this long, epic sonnet full of how I washed dishes, mopped the floor, checked email, Facebook, livejournal, and the Ten Doctors comic compulsively, wrote and read fanfiction, and thoroughly enjoyed all of those activities (except for maybe the first two). And I'll deliver it in all seriousness, stare at the room, and challenge anyone to say, "You totally should have gone to Barcelona/Austria/Greece/wherever with us."

Also: This is the 2nd time I've had to wash a sinkful of dishes that were not all mine. I'm going to keep a hawk-eye on the sink from now on, and make sure people who use the dishes actually wash them. Because I'm also getting sick and tired of having one girl snottily ask why people aren't doing their dishes, and looking at me while she says it. Um, hello, I think you still owe me for the FIRST time I did all the dishes.

I really wish we had color-coded dishes. That would make it so much easier to point at someone and tell them to clean their stuff up.

To end on a more positive note....Rome got a tiny bit cooler over the vacation! And I'm not deadly sunburnt, like some other people I know who went out. I also have this crazy-insane weird longing to watch Van Helsing. I might go see if the Rome Center has it available to check out or something.......

[The Maximals pretend that Dinobot is seriously injured to trick Starscream]
Rattrap: [to Dinobot] Lie still! And GROAN, for cryin' out loud! You're supposed to be half-dead!
Dinobot: If you don't shut up, Vermin, you will be my role model! --Beast Wars

Sorry, this won't be very epic

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:29:30 GMT

A blase entry, seeing as this is my break and therefore no extravagant places were visited. I'm still mulling over going to Pompeii, Castel San Angelo, and the catacombs, and for a while Capri was thrown into the mix, but I don't think I'll be going to Capri. A sign of encouragement for another trip to Italy sometime in my future, perhaps?

It's empty-ish, now, because Tommi has gone to Capri and the 3 terrible roommates (they're okay people, but things might get worse before the 18th arrives; I hope not) have gone to Barcelona. There's only Cate and myself, now, and she's awesome. We (meaning she cooked and I cut up the veggies) made this pasta dish with rice noodles, pesto, sauteed mushrooms & onions, and added some melted cheese to the pesto, which turned out really good, and also had some salad on the side. Good dinner, and we topped it off with gelato (which melts waaaaay too fast).

Most of our electronics are fixed, now, though as I've mentioned the TV hates me. It wouldn't even let me turn it off nicely with the power button; one of the other girls managed it in 0.005 seconds. Some plumbers came in and did something with the water and sinks, but I don't really know because none of them spoke English. Another man came and took our living room's dead fan away and left us with a working one, so our bedrooms and main living space now can be ventillated better.

Our dryer still burns our clothes because I don't think any of the maintenance people fixed it (because they didn't seem to understand that us girls didn't leave the clothes in for over an hour, but less than 5 minutes before the smell of burning cloth overtook the apartment). The washing machine is, to use Cate's description, somewhat of a glorified cheese-grater, which very nearly took off her hand because it wasn't turned off. There's also a nice pond of water left at the bottom of the washing machine, though I'm beginning to wonder if maybe it's because people keep stopping the washing machine and taking their clothes out too soon.

I was waffling earlier in the spring (and, really, even before that) about minors and the Classical Studies, but I guess I didn't have the motivation. I can say with confidence that this Rome trip has inspired me to pursue the Classical Studies minor with gusto. I changed my Autumn quarter so that I'm taking 18 credits, 8 of which are Classic Studies classes. I'm really not looking forward to one of the classes, History 311: Science in Civilization: Antiquity to 1600. I'm not science-minded at all, really, but this class A) fulfills Classic Studies credits, which I desperately need, and B) fulfills my W-credit, which I also need like none other. The other 3 credits I'm taking is an Architecture course focusing on the Ancient World, which...is exactly where I am right now, so I'm sure there'll be a few architectural marvels that crop up in the class that I've visited. I'll have to take 18 credits again in Winter, but I don't mind because the Classics classes I will take revolve around books (the Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid, etc.), so I'm okay with that. It'll be kind of interesting, because I'll be taking that advanced class in winter, but in the spring I'll be taking an introductory course to Greek and Roman Classics. I'm sure I'm doing it wrong, but...there's nothing anywhere that says I need the introductory course first.

My only regret is that I don't know if there will be history classes available in winter/spring which are accepted for the Classic Studies minor. I'd be far more interested in the history than re-learning about the books and/or the Pantheon/Forum/etc. There's a book us Creative Writers in Rome are required to read which is a history textbook of Rome told in story-style which everyone has been complaining about. I unfortunately didn't start reading it until the day of the quiz (which, yeah, I did poorly on, but mostly because they asked obscure questions), but I was engrossed in reading it. It did start resembling a list at some point, simply naming kings/emperors/popes and the people who plundered Rome throughout the ages, but I was gulping the pages down. Again, I regret that dratted sophomore year, when I should have focused on my interest in history rather than somehow convince myself I could take Economics and a CSS class, but oh well. The minor should help somewhat.

They've also finally put up the requirements for the Korean minor and....3rd year is required. I can't take 3rd year, not without overloading on credits and dropping the Classic Studies minor. Even if I did drop the C.S. minor, I'd still need a W-credit, which none of the Korean classes are fulfilling, and even if they did I'd wind up having to overload on credits to something like 25 credits. It just won't happen. It breaks my heart a little, because I do really want to learn more, but...it just isn't feasible. Maybe if I come to the UW for a Master's program, which is a headache for an entirely different day (and not at ~2AM).

Random fact: Rick Kenney (my enthusiastic poet of a teacher) has a Wikipedia page. It boggles my mind, somewhat, and I wonder who put it up.

And...this post got a bit rambly. Eeps. I'll leave off with mentioning how I love having un-grated Parmesan cheese, Ravioli con carne, marinara sauce, and bacon bits all waiting for me to cook with it tomorrow. ^_________^

A poet can write about a man slaying a dragon, but not about a man pushing a button that releases a bomb. --W. H. Auden

Really Quick Update as My Battery Slowly Dies....

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:49:57 GMT

I almost forgot that it was the 1st of July. My days here in Rome have been so hectic and long, they seem to run together so I can only think of them as "That one day we went to [insert place here]." And sadly? That's exactly how everybody else on this program is thinking, too. School six days a week suits me unwell.

On the bright side, MIDTERM BREAK!! Yay! I can sleep in (well, inasmuch as the market outside will let me). I also realized that, coming this Thursday/Friday, I'll be gone back to Washington in 2 weeks. It seems like such a short amount of time (both in how long I have and how long I've been here) and yet time is moving sluggishly, too.

I may have to camp out at the airport through the night of the 17-18th in order to catch my 7-something AM flight back to the States and get through security (I really should have kept a closer eye on the time when I booked the flight) because A) the Rome Center needs to check me out of my apartment, and I doubt they're going to open their doors at 3AM just for me. And 2) there's a subway that goes directly to the airport, but its hours are from about 5AM-11PM. Does not quite work for me. So, hangin' out at the Fiumicino Aeroporto para me!

As I've said, I'm considering going to Pompeii on my break. I'm also 95% decided to go to San Angelo Castel (I believe this is the place's name), which the only downside is that I have to pay my own entrance fee, of perhaps 7.50 euro. Oh well, I've heard it's an excellent place.

Speaking of places, we went individually to the Vatican Museum, where the "Torso of Apollo" is housed, as well as the Sistine Chapel. I actually met up with a girl outside the entrance and we went to see it together, and she didn't seem to get the intensity of the ceiling until she saw a miniature version in a poster/bookmark. The ceiling and the Final Judgement paintings are infinitely more intense in person than through other mediums, though I still mourned my inability to get a puzzle of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling (a box of 1000 pieces will never fit in my suitcase, le sigh).

In other news, our TV apparently works, but hates me. I sort of kinda short-circuited the TV when I was trying to plug my laptop in to charge the battery, and the TV refused to turn on for me, but did just fine with another girl in the house. Soooo...no longer going to fuss with the TV, which I'm not too sad about, since it does not show Doctor Who/Chuck/Firefly/Buffy/Justice League/Life on Mars/a whole lot of other shows.

Now I should go, since my battery is now at about 27%. Pictures might come tomorrow, but they won't be links to several pages' worth of photos.

Education: When in Doubt, Smile and Nod. Oh Daniel, how I love thee and your Chalkboard of Win (though Jack might not after Windows of Opportunity)

An Easy Day

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:56:08 GMT

Italian time: 3:55PM

On Thursday we went to Villa Guilia, which houses the Etruscan art. After Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este....I wasn't impressed at all by it. It was interesting to see the pieces of art (they had actual dolls, doll tea-cups, figurines, jewelry, etc.), but overall a pretty bland experience.

Friday was St. Peter's. It was impressive inside, but I think I would've enjoyed it more if not for the tourists overcrowding the place. It was definitely an interesting contrast between Hadrian's/Villa d'Este, both of which were mostly devoid of tourists and St. Peter's, which was practically bursting with people.

I didn't see the tombs, but I heard it was pretty uninteresting so I feel like I didn't lose too much. But I did go up to the dome/cupola. A person could either take the lift and cut the number of stairs you had to take down to 320, or walk the entire way. I walked the entire way. First we entered the dome, which opened to the inside of the church itself (I didn't dare look downward). We then took even more stairs to get to the cupola. There was a stairwell which forced us to lean at an angle, stairs that were wide at the base but grew narrower, stairs that turned tightly, and even stairs with no railing except for a rope hanging down the middle. The view was amazing, though. But you were forced to really work for it.

Today was mellow. We only sat through talks and one hour-long workshop which was kinda tame. I went to the "traditional forms" for poetry one, because I felt I should work on my poetic form more. It was okay, but definitely could've been more engaging.

Now I have the rest of the day off. Yay!

I came home from the workshop and obviously our apartment is hot. There were even more people in it, which made it hotter. I don't mind the people thing, it's totally cool. Especially since I knew who the people were.

But when you turn on the fan, and aim it solely at your little group of 4-6 people instead of letting it swivel and reach the rest of the apartment (2 of whom do live in the apartment), that's a bit selfish. Not to mention ineffective at air circulation.

I let you have it that way for a bit. When people not a part of your circle were complaining about being hot, I felt it was time to end it. But you, person who does NOT live in our apartment, do not have the right to glare at me when I told your group you couldn't monopolize the fan. I'm not sure if the look was meant as a joking "Oh, hey, we were so totally using that, lol" or a snotty "how dare you trespass on our private party." But either way, it's not your fan or apartment. Sorry.

And to 3 of my other apartment-mates: Have you never heard of air-circulation? Ventilation? It is not spontaneously created in dead air. You need a fan or an air-conditioning unit if you want artificial movement. Or, you know, you could try something revolutionary. You could try opening two windows and leaving them open.

I'm sorry. I probably sound really bratty and anti-people, but...seriously. Some of the things these girls do and say.... "I have no idea how I spent $1100 already! And everything here is so expensive! I had to pay $11 for orange juice!" They complain about this constantly, but what do they do about it? They go out to eat. Every. Single. Night. At expensive places, even. And when myself or 2 other roommates try and explain to them how they could maybe conserve a little money, it's one ear and out the other.

I'd just like logical, or at least sensible, roommates, please. Is it too much to ask?

We go to San Clemente and some other churches on Monday, Tuesday is the Vatican, and from July 2nd (is it the next month so soon???) to July 6th I have my midterm vacation. I'm not sure what all I will be doing then. Pompeii seems pretty set in my mind, and maybe the Cinecitta where they filmed bits of Doctor Who *squees* except the Cinecitta isn't open to the public *sighs*. Probably the catacombs, too. But a really awesome part about the break is that I will have the apartment all to myself! Tommi is going on the Capri trip, 3 of the other girls are going to Barcelona, and another is going to Vienna, I believe. I feel sorta like I should be planning on a more extravagant trip, but...really? I'm okay with exploring the nooks and crannies of Rome. Maybe I'll head north and see Pisa, or Milan, or something, but I'm okay with sticking to where I know.

One last thing before the pictures...Gelato is Fantastic. Especially Coconut Gelato.

Pictures of Hadrian's Villa, Villa d'Este, and...some other random things, since I have the time for it....Or at least I will post them later this evening when Photobucket stops being idiotic....

Edit 6/29 12:23PM: Okay, sorry, I only got to this now. Photobucket wouldn't stop being a pain. These pictures are slightly out of order, but you can still plainly tell what is Hadrian's and what is d'Este.

Here is Hadrian's and Villa d'Este.

This is San Pietro/St. Peter's.

Because I could not stop for Death—
He kindly stopped for me—
The Carriage held but just Ourselves—
And Immortality.
We slowly drove — He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility — Emily Dickinson, Because I could not stop for Death—

Something a Bit More Lengthy

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:16:01 GMT

Monday: We went to the Keats-Shelley house, as already stated. Found my camera, enjoyed wonderful gelato from a place called Della Palma. I don't really remember much beyond that; I think it was a pretty easy day.

Tuesday: Went to the Forum, Palatine, and Colosseum. The Forum was amazing, Palatine was pretty (and we might've maybe hopped a fence or two into cordoned-off places....) and the Colosseum...was a bit of a disappointment. I guess the picture in my head wasn't quite the reality, but that's okay. It was still amazing from the outside. Cate, Tommi, and I were joined by James, who's a nice fellow. Walking back from the Colosseum we kinda got lost, was directed by a couple from Barcelona, and stumbled upon a submarine in a building with brick interior and air-conditioning.

Yeah. The air-conditioning was awesome. The submarine we kinda stared and tilted our heads at.

We got gelato thereafter, and James got the priciest and biggest cup (2.50 euro). We all ate our gelato contentedly...and then James hit bottom. About halfway through the cup's size. We were all laughing along with him about him being ripped off, with his first gelato experience no less, and then Cate took the cup and shook it. Something rattled, Tommi noticed that the writing was similar to Spanish's "open here" and we realized that when the cup reads: "Toy Cup" it does mean what we think it means. He opened it and got a cute little hippo. We then broke into laughter over the fact that it was a toy, and probably irritated a lot of Italians with our undying laughter.

Wednesday: We went to Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este in Tivoli. We went by charter bus (a really awesome charter bus, too; kinda like riding in First Class in an airplane. It had air-conditioning, foot-rests, a table, and cup-holders. It was pretty classy. And, Rome (at least historic-center Rome) is to Tivoli like the Ave is to UVillage. I'm not even trying to be an English-major-snob, using analogies. It really is like that.

Hadrian's was amazing. It was definitely a ruin of its former glory, but...there was just soo much to see! Lots of ponds/pools, and this awesome room that seemed like a sun temple. James, Tommi and I walked through this sort of prairie-grass field, looking for a tower but not finding it, until we randomly stumbled upon it. We actually had to hop another fence for it, but it wasn't a place closed to the public, so it was just us saving time rather than meandering back the way we came, and looking for the slope up to the tower.

The view was amazing from there (and we happened to see our teacher Kevin Craft reposing under a tree below us). Pictures will come, I promise! We made our way back down, got on the bus, went further to Tivoli where we got lunch and would eventually go to Villa d'Este. We found this really cheap pizzeria where I got lunch for less than 5 euro, and...FOUND PEPSI!!! I've been really good so far and drinking mostly water, a little milk here and there, and one small can of coke in the whole week I was here, but I was expecting to never find Pepsi. Italians are apparently very fond of their orange Fanta, though (which seems to taste better than America's, judging by what other people say). So when I found the Pepsi, I was muy muy happy.

We then went to Villa d'Este and....Oh. My. Goodness.

Tommi and I had been joking about living in Hadrian's Villa, because we just loved how gorgeous it was even though they were ruins. But....I seriously want to live at Villa d'Este. I want that for my own. If I ever get married....I want to get married there. Rome, for my wedding present, you can just gift that Villa to me. Seriously. Keep all the Pepsis you want for the tourists, if it means I can have it.

It's a Villa of fountains and greenery and grottos and panoramic views....peaceful beauty in physical form. I don't know if I could ever explain it.

Professor Kenney mentioned while we were walking to the bus in the morning that the TAs of my cohort group (kinda like small sections where we share our writing) said I was the lynchpin of their cohort. I'm not too sure how I want to feel about that, but it definitely feels like more pressure. *sigh*

Oh, and I've developed an appreciation for drivers in Seattle. Drivers in Seattle (and U.S. in general) at least make the effort to drive in the lines. Italian drivers? They drive wherever they plain well wish. Their cars a tiny little things so they're a bit zippy, and then add an equal amount of vespas/motorcycles onto the roadways, and it's DEATH for pedestrians. They do stop for pedestrians, but mostly they just try and drive around you. And, of course, they drive EVERYWHERE. In the tiny little alleyways where pedestrians walk, in the piazza squares.....seriously. Everywhere.

I like the people in our CW group. Some people, though, I definitely feel shouldn't have been let into the program. It's not that they don't have experience in creative writing, I could care less because sometimes I feel like I don't even belong in the Creative Writing major. But some of their attitudes get so terribly negative. They complain about it being hot (which was very carefully explained at orientation), they complain about the seating coverage (which can be found with even the smallest bit of research), they complain about how much it costs to eat (but refuse to exercise some frugality), and it's just constant negativity, with a sprinkling of, "Oh, I wasn't very inspired/it was okay/I'd rather go partying than see these incredible sites of historic value."

Blah. It's four weeks now (only a week's gone by??? It's felt infinitely longer), and I've survived a roommate who thought 3AM visitors with her other roommates asleep was perfectly fine. I'll just steadfastly ignore their worser qualities until it trespasses into judging me personally.

A few pictures now, since I've uploaded a bit. I actually have waaaaay too many pictures of the Forum and what we saw today, so it'll be some links to a few stuff. They don't have headers/descriptions at the moment, but you can just enjoy them for their aesthetic value.

the Galoppotoio in the north and the Janiculum in the south. These places were mostly just gorgeous panoramas, nothing specific to the sites themselves.

A few pictures of San Pietro, near the Vatican. There will probably be more pictures uploaded to this album/file later, either on Friday and/or Tuesday, when we go to St. Peters (obviously after this one) and the Vatican (which, by the way, if you want something from the Vatican...let me know. I'm looking to buy souvenirs while I'm still in the area.)

And pictures from lots of different places. I'm sorry, this album kinda got all mish-mashed into one, because the places were kinda close together, and the same day, sooo...yeah. The first two pics are inside the San Ignazio (which had a slightly mean porter), the 3rd is Hadrian's Temple (not to be confused with Hadrian's Villa), #9-18 minus #16 pics are the Popolov Piazza, and pics #8, 16, 19, 20, and 21 are inside the Santa Maria di Popolo, which is a church (and yes, those are skull and crossbones). #16 is the facade of the church.

I really will get those pics labeled so it's more coherent. And upload the pics from the Forum and other wonderful places (Villa d'Este especially).

Batman: (Seeing the plant-laden Batcave) What's with the jungle?
Alfred: I thought this drab old cave could use some colour. How does it look?
Batman: (Pause) Green. --Batman: the Animated Series

A Quick and Dirty Update

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:25:31 GMT

Today we went to the Roman Forum, the Palatine Hill, and the Colosseum all in about 3-4 hours, in direct sunlight and probably 87+ degrees Fahrenheit. We also randomly found a submarine in a building with brick interior. We're pretty sure it was some sort of naval museum, but it was still strange to walk in on that. Also, point of interest to anyone traveling to Rome: Romans are VERY protective of their steps. Odd, but seemingly true; this is about the second time we got kicked off of sitting/standing on steps.

Got back and found myself burnt across the shoulders. Tomorrow is supposed to be just as grueling, so...doubling the amount of sunscreen I pour on my shoulders this time.

The landlord had a dinner party for those living in his building, and it was a pretty good (and free!) dinner. It was just two small dishes of pasta, a plate of salad with keish (it wasn't bad, but...not to my taste, either) and some gelato. Unfortunately, the waitresses weren't all that great at tabulating who wanted beer/wine, so I wound up being served a cup of beer. Other people at my end of the table drank it, though, so it wasn't wasted.

More later. More sleep now-ish.

Edit 11:10PM: A handful of pics of the outside of the Capitoline Museum; I might hunt around later for pics of the exhibits inside from some of the other people.

8 Images at Photobucket.

Tomorrow we go to Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este. So, I might be able to upload pictures from that trip, the trip to the Forum/Palatine/Colosseum, and some misc. pics.

I FOUND MY CAMERA! HAPPY DANCE DE DOOM!!!!

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:36:48 GMT

You can finally see my wonderful apartment.

For some reason, LJ's "insert image" thing isn't working much at all, sooo..linkage to the Photobucket albums, which are probably much better organized.

Here are pictures of the apartment, and the area it is located in.

Pictures of the Pantheon. I'm standing in front of the column outside, the picture which is lopsided.

And I have found my camera! So I can start taking pictures once again! I'm sort of sad I didn't find it in time to take loads of pictures of the Capitoline Museum, or the Keats-Shelley house (which is where we went today, and almost immediately after found my camera). But there are plenty of other things to take pictures of, so I think I'm okay.

Tommi, Cate, and I went to the Porta Portese flea market Sunday while two of the other girls went to the beach (have no idea why....). That market is HUUUUUGE!!! I think we only got halfway before we gave up in exhaustion. But I think that's where I'm going to get my souvenir for my mother.

We also found a gelateria today which sold more flavors than all the gelato shops we've been to combined. It was crazy. Their smallest cup was a little smaller than what I've had from a different shop, but it was still a good portion. I'll post a pic of the store-front in a different post.

Now off to do dishes...and mourn the fact that we can't find garbage liners anywhere....and write from the POV of 3 objects/ideas/events that happened in/to the Keats-Shelley house.

Rome, Day 3

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:19:43 GMT

Thursday was a bit horrendous, because I was still a bit jet-lagged and we walked for miles in the sun. We all met at the Pantheon at 9AM and went to the Adrian temple, a few churches (from one of which most of us got kicked out of because we hadn't been forewarned and thus not dressed according to the dress code), Piazza del Popollo, and the Galoppatoio (a long hill in the north of Rome) all before 12. Then we reconvened at 5:30 and after a little meeting we went to the Janiculum, saw Garibaldi's statue, and St. Peter in the Vatican.

I was absolutely dead on my feet by the time we got back around 9 o'clock, but of course I kept myself up reading a tiny, tiny bit of Ovid and checking up on email, etc. until about 11:30. And I was out like the dead, just like I was the night before. But exactly like yesterday morning, I woke up at 6 AM because of the farmer's market set up directly outside. I think they were purposely clanging every metal object they had at 5:50AM. *fumes*

Thankfully today (6/20) was a bit easier, since all we did was A) go to the UW Rome Center orientation, and B) "Get lost" in Rome. No marching after the profs, no trailing after the 30+ group like little ducks, just me at my own pace, wherever I wanted to go so long as I was "lost." I did not know where I was, but.....usually, on foot, I can backtrack very easily. I did try to go out of my way to pick a whole new path to the Campo de Fiori, but....yeah. I rewarded myself with some "pizza" which is more like a flat-bread sandwich, with promiscuitto and mozzerella filling. Very delicious. I also got some chocolate gelato (which, yeah, gelato is amazing in that it can get the flavor down EXACTLY. I had coconut gelato Wednesday, which tasted like it had actual coconut in it. Perfecto), and while I was walking my way back a guy with a family asked me in Italian where I got the gelato (and I knew what he was asking without having him repeat slowly and in English!! *wins*). I think he thought I was Italian, because when I pointed and said, "Around the corner, called Blue Ice," he said, "Oh, thank you" and had that look like, "Oops, made a fool of myself." I guess this means I'm looking more and more like I know what the heck I'm doing here. That's always a plus.

I'm also getting darker. It's only been about 3 days, and I'm fairly certain my arms are getting browner. Every time I look at the lower half of my legs, those seem a bit brown, too. *wins at tan, hopes she doesn't burn or develop cancer*

We got a schedule of what's going to happen for the next 4 weeks, and we're not going to be going on walks in the evening anymore (I hope) so I think I'll be able to finally fully recover from the flight and won't be so dead exhausted anymore. That will be a wonderful day.

I am missing home a lot. Especially when I went to the supermarket yesterday and couldn't understand what problem the cashier had with my euro. Looking back on it now, I think it might have been because she didn't have exact change for me, but...it seems like a terrible excuse, given that it was ~1PM, sooo....she should have had plenty of coins. But as long as I take a breath and remember how awesome it is to be in Rome, the four weeks should go by fairly quickly. Oh, and also if our hot water has finally been gifted to us. Because taking an ice-cold shower? Literally ice-cold, so that if it had been under the right pressure, we could've made ice-cubes? SO not what I want to come home to.

I've taken loads and loads of pictures, but haven't been uploading them to photobucket because I've been way too exhausted to even consider it. So I'm doing that now, and maybe later this evening I'll post pics up of the apartment and a few of the sites we've been to (unless I get a demand for it, there's no way I'm uploading every single picture I've taken to livejournal/facebook).

You know what's also nice? Having toilet paper. Hopefully that'll come soon.

Edit 9:19PM: A wonderful way to end the night!!! I come home, realizing that my camera is not in my bag like it usually is, and recall leaving it on the TV stand. But now it's absolutely nowhere to be found in the apartment, so now the only option I have left is that the nice electrician men stole it. And I have no idea what the protocol is for that scenario. So now I've lost a very nice camera that my mother unofficially bought for me for my birthday, I've lost the pictures I didn't get to upload, and I've lost that writing muse I had with me coming back to the apartment. *wants to break down and cry*

Buffy: [narrating.] “My love.” He called me “My love”. And then I threw up in my mouth a little.
Buffy: Ethan Rayne?
Ethan: In the flesh, my love.
Buffy: And again, a slight barflex. You have to stop calling me that.
Ethan: It’s an expression, pet. Like “pet”.

A Post Before....I Don't Go to Bed....

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:56:37 GMT

Finished my first day in Rome; since I got here at 7AM Rome time, I consider that a full day here and thus official.

Rundown:
Didn't get any sleep Monday night, because my family drove me to SeaTac at 3AM to get there at 4AM, went through security and such (and of course their currency exchange was only open from 6AM-sometime later, and was only open on the pre-security side of the airport. Of course. I realize now I probably didn't have to arrive 2-3 hours early because I was making a connection within the U.S., but....I much preferred the 20-minute wait through security than the long, long, long line at about 6AM.

My flight to JFK had its gate switched twice (once apparently after I got my boarding pass, and then again about an hour before the flight). Had a fine flight minus the screeching child every flight seems to require. I was sitting in the aisle seat and (excepting the first 30 minutes of the flight) had no one sitting beside me except the girl in the window seat.

Connected in JFK, tried to call home and got cut short by the stupid answering machine (there's a dollar I'll never see again), hopped onto the plane to Rome at 5PM Tuesday, and was on that plane until 7AM Wednesday. That flight was pretty uneventful, except for the typical bad airplane food (of which I had to eat with a spoon) and the movies (27 Dresses and Evan Almighty) in Italian with no English subtitles. I had the aisle seat again with only one other person in the row with me, but she was at the other end, so the only downside to that seating arrangement was the fact that I had absolutely no chance at a view (except the lavatory...). In total, I think I got about....3 hours of sleep for Monday and Tuesday? Maybe being generous. But then again, I don't think Tuesday even existed for me, since I was in a plane almost the entire day, doing my own version of time travel.

Got off the plane, went through the hoops of passport check to reach baggage claim, got money exchanged, and shared a car with 2 other girls in my program with a very cute Roman guy (Valerio was his name). Thankfully he practically drove us to the doorstep, and we only had to walk a block to the UW Rome Center. I got my apartment assignment, met coincidentally with one of my apartment mates at the office, and went over with her. The apartment is amazing but pictures are going to wait until A) I have reliable internet access and B) I'm not braindead from sleep deprivation.

Tomi (the roommate) and I went walking around the neighborhood a bit, got something to eat (first Roman meal: a flat-bread-type sandwich with provolone(?) and turkey/ham), and went to the UW Rome Center to get on computers with Internet. Met even more people with the Creative Writing program and directed them the right way, and went back to the apartment with a 3rd roomie. All total, there's 6 of us girls here for an apartment with 7 beds.

There's a farmer's market right in front of our apartment, so we went and got a few produce (I bought cherries, Tomi bought plums). Then came back, and I conked out on the bed for a few precious hours. Then we got some dinner (pizza! With mozzerella, tomato sauce, and mushrooms, delicious) before heading out to the first meeting with the CW group.

We hung out at Professor Kenney's apartment for a bit, then walked to the Forum (pictures to come later). I recited my poem with a few helpful prompts from the printed poem in my back pocket, and...yeah. That's it, really.

I'm just really, really, really tired. Not even physically taxed, but brain-tired. And we're to be at the Pantheon tomorrow at 9AM. Yay.

The heat's intense, and I think I'm going to be brown by the end of the month here, but I think it'll be bearable. Both fans we have in the apartment are broken, and I had my stupid moment of the day by plugging in my alarm clock without a power transformer. Completely blew it, and it smells of burned wiring, so I think it's bit the dust. One less thing I need to bring back with me, at least.....

And I found out my grades. My lowest was The Planets with a 3.5, so I'm ecstatic about that. I got a 3.9 in Chaucer, so huzzah there.

Yes, I have finally arrived to this Capital of the World! I now see all the dreams of my youth coming to life... Only in Rome is it possible to understand Rome. --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The Last Post of 2007-2008 School Year

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:33:57 GMT

50 Books in a Year Update:

1. Sabriel by Garth Nix
2. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
3. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
4. Lirael by Garth Nix
5. Abhorsen by Garth Nix
6. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

7. The Parliament of Birds by Geoffrey Chaucer, Transl. E.B. Richmond
8. Love Visions by Geoffrey Chaucer, Transl. Brian Stone
9. Troilus and Criseyde by Geoffrey Chaucer, Transl. Neville Coghill
10. Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson

I'm also now in the process of reading Coriolanus, Julius Caesar, and Metamorphoses, so 13 books read, only...37 more books to go in 30 weeks. Hmmm.......I need to rededicate myself to reading a lot more often.

I deconstructed my room, so now it's a little freaky and soul-less. I put up my posters and was nestled in the first day, if not the first 6 hours of moving in, so I never had time to notice how terribly white the room is. I really should've left my posters up until tonight, since I move out Wednesday afternoon, but....It was simpler to get most of my packing done now. Speaking of....I should really get to packing clothes, for all that it will only take 30 minutes ~~once my laundry is done~~.

I finished my Chaucer paper (which turned out harder than it would have been if only books were posted online), and now I am going to be studying today for my Planets final. Since the final is A) in combination with the midterm, only 40% of my final grade, B) I've gotten consistent 9-10/10s on my labs which accounts for 60% of my final grade, C) is curved, and if one quiz section does insanely better than all the rest of the class and skews the curve (like my quiz section managed to do for the midterm) the prof doesn't take that section into account, and D) I actually know a lot of this stuff, I'm not that worried about if I study poorly for it. The only incentives to studying my brains out in order to 4.0 the test is self-satisfaction and the fact that he weighs the final more if we show improvement in the final. Soooo...yeah. Not worried.

And Naruto Shippuden: Why can't you come to the US faster?! Let's skip all the dumb fillers and get straight to the real stuff! I want to know what everybody's fussing about with Itachi and...well, not interested in Sasuke, but what's going on with him and Itachi?!? Same to Doctor Who, though since SciFi was kind enough to air the episodes only about 2 weeks behind BBC (the edited versions, to our discontent), I suppose it's less of a rant and more of a "please to be showing us our Doctor Who at the same time as the lucky British folk and without the 43-minute version."

7 Days Until I Go to Rome!!!!!!!!!! now if I could only figure out this stupid cell phone mess I'd be less stressed

I must be myself. I cannot break myself any longer for you, or you. If you can love me for what I am, we shall be the happier. If you cannot, I will still seek to deserve that you should. I will not hide my tastes or aversions. I will so trust that what is deep is holy, that I will do strongly before the sun and moon whatever inly rejoices me, and the heart appoints. If you are noble, I will love you; if you are not, I will not hurt you and myself by hypocritical attentions. --Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance

A Sane Person Would be Freaking Out by Now

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 03:34:10 GMT

I have a paper due tomorrow for Chaucer which I've only just begun researching for, since I know my habits and knew I wouldn't be able to focus on it until around this time. I've still gotten a headstart on the paper, though, since I came into it knowing what topic I wanted to write about, which I've never done before. Unfortunately, after about an hour of searching, I only managed to come up with one accessible article that pertains to the topic. The prof handed out a sheet a while ago which has "suggested formats" for the paper, and it seems to say that I do only need a single "full-length study." Or 2-4 articles. I don't know whether this falls under article or study, but I'd still prefer having a few more sources to back up whatever I'm going to write.

Unfortunately, I can never seem to find an online-presentation of the articles that seem appropriate to my subject. They always lead me to this page where they have all the citations for the article, but none of said article. *headdesk* Maybe I'm doing it wrong. Probably. *headdesks some more*

I might decide to abandon that topic altogether and choose one that doesn't require me to do any research. That's an option he gave us, too. I like this professor and how laid-back he is about the paper. I think if I really wanted to earn bigger brownie points from him, I would've done research on present-day adaptions of Chaucerian works, since that's what he's into. I still don't know if he knows about Britain's adaption of the Canterbury Tales, but he probably has.

On a less academic note, my family came up and took away a lot of my stuff. I actually have space in my room now! It's not nearly as freaky as it will be come Tuesday/Wednesday, when my posters come down and bare the walls for the first time in 9 months, but still. I turn to my right expecting a big huge butterfly chair, and find nothing but a little cart. My bookshelf's mostly barren now, too. It makes me sad inside to see an empty bookshelf.

I'm probably going to be completely buggy tomorrow after spending probably an all-nighter on this paper, but on the brightside I can come back to my room and sleep and not have to worry about moving out immediately afterward ~~well, after I finish all my other errands~~. It's the only reason I'm on livejournal right now instead of freaking out about the paper.

9 DAYS UNTIL I HEAD TO ROME!!!!

rough quote from an anon friend: "What's incinerate mean? Is it something like circumcision?"

I Could Say I'm Done with School....

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 22:45:23 GMT

....but the study abroad kinda nixes that. Still.

I'M DONE WITH CLASSES!!! *realizes she only has a year left and deflates a little*

Now all I have left is a 5-8 page paper based on the subject of Chaucer that can be about pretty much anything due on Monday and a final exam for my Planets class on Wednesday. I'll probably spend Saturday and Sunday writing the paper, with a break on Sunday to pack up stuff/hang out with my family when they come here to do a mini-move-out. I'd say it'll be easy-peasy, but I know I won't be getting a lot of sleep Sunday night/Monday morning writing the paper. *sigh*

11 Days until I leave for Rome, bright and early (tooooooo early...) the 17th. *flails* I keep getting caught between being psyched for it and being completely overwhelmed/terrified of it. I think the excitement is pretty self-explanatory. But...I'm going to a foreign country with only Spanish (I doubt Korean is going to help me out there) under my belt. I've heard that there are people who speak English, but...it's still frightening. I think I'd feel a lot better about studying abroad if I were going to a country where English (American or British English) was the predominant language spoken, or even if I were studying that language, because then I have a grasp for it. Italian...not so much. Now that I've finished Korean, though, I can focus studying the new language, so maybe I'm just freaking out for no reason. *hopes*

Plus, this is the first time I've ever been truly away from my family/home. Sure, yes, I'm mostly on my own up in Seattle, but my family's a phone call and 1 1/2 hours of driving away. But now I'm seriously on my own. And I know, I know, I should be ready to be independent and not hold onto my mommy's apron-strings and etc. etc. etc., but the fact is... I'm going to be on my own without my usual support group. No me gusta! 싫습니다! Non mi piace! *sigh*

It turns out someone already took Via Appia for their project (I guess I can hope that they're a Doctor Who fan...) so I took Temple of Vesta. And, sadly, I read and wrote the name wrong so for a while I thought I was researching "Temple of Vestia." Not even Wikipedia redirected me, and I've put some really wrong spellings in that search bar. And I think I emailed my prof saying I would take the Temple of Vestia. *headdesk* ETA: Aah, now, see, my misspelling is okay! Because the only reason I wrote Vestia is because that's how my prof wrote it. *feels better about her English skills*

Yesterday I was walking along back to my dorm, and I see this gray feline-body walking toward me through the bushes. There's usually a cat around there, and though the cat I normally see is brownish in color, I thought, "Oh, cute, another kitty!"

Um. Nope. 'Twas a racoon the size of an oversized house cat. Out in daylight (er, well, 2 o'clock-ish; Seattle/Western Washington hasn't gotten the memo that it's June already).

Off to play...way too many hours of FFX. Way too many.

"No man knows till he has suffered from the night how sweet and dear to his heart and eye the morning can be." Jonathan Harker --Dracula by Bram Stoker

Missed the 1st, but the 2nd's okay

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 23:30:07 GMT

Got my Chaucer final back, and was 1 question from being a 4.0; I wrote 'D' instead of 'C,' even when I knew it was 'c.' *sigh* oh well. Chaucer will still boost my English GPA quite a bit.

I sort of randomly picked FFX back up again just this past Saturday. I'm calling it "research" and/or "inspiration" for CCP. It's worked; I've written at least half of the next chapter, which is probably going to be the penultimate chapter. Considering my Muse has been blocked for over a year on this story, I think that's a pretty good achievement. *wins*

9 days until I'm home and finished with my 3rd year of college (*faints*), another day until my mother's birthday, and an additional 5 days until I leave for Rome. It's going to be a crazy week after my last final. @.@

I've been thinking about volunteering with the Dawg Daze thing my university does the week before school starts. I don't mind the 10-15 hour volunteering (even on top of what I'll volunteer for the Dawg move-in crew), but the problem lies in the training day, which is September 12 and at least 5 days too early for me. I won't move in until the 16th (we start school on the 24th, which means residents start moving in the 17&18th), and I don't look forward to the commute up to Seattle from Olympia, especially considering I don't have a car. I might do early-arrival housing, but...that might cost extra. And I really, really don't need to incur anymore costs this year.

And icy-pops are AMAZING, especially when you're starving but the stupid on-campus dining restaurants don't open their dinner menus until 5. *grumbles*

[The Turks see Bahamut Sin]
Reno: Holy...
Rude: ...s---.
[they both run for their lives as it chases]
Reno: Is it after us?!
Rude: I'm not looking! --Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

So THIS is What it Feels Like....

Thu, 29 May 2008 22:34:22 GMT

.....to have everything come together.

My dratted Italian visa (and thus my passport) finally came back! So now I can actually get ON the plane come the 17th! And I got my health screening done Tuesday, so I turned in my Concurrent Enrollment form when I went to pick it up, and I've just finished signing up for the Student Health Insurance (*winces*), so.....yeah. I'M DONE WITH THE PAPERWORK!! There are no more hoops for me to jump! At least before I head off to Rome, anyway.

I believe I have all the book-y stuff for Rome now (so long as the directors don't randomly add anything else to the booklist....). I've got Metamorphoses, an Italian-English dictionary, a little tour-book for Rome, Coriolanus and Julius Caesar, and I've also got a moleskine notebook! ^____^ It fits so nice and neatly into my back pocket! This is exactly what I look for when I pick up new notebooks/journals to write in; I think I've got a brand, now. Hee. It's not one of the city moleskines, which is slightly disappointing, but I wanted it more for the number of pages I could write in, so it's all good. Now I just need to come up with a proper name for my little notebook......what? Nobody else does that? (ETA: I've decided it's Leonard. *hugs* But not the proper way of pronouncing Leonard.)

I also had my Korean presentation today (on the 1988 Summer Olympics), which I had 99% memorized before class and (by going over it again and again and again and...etc.) I finished memorizing the last sentence just as the teacher walked in. Of course, as soon as I got up front I completely lost the flow and had to keep looking at my sheet from time to time, but it all came out. I got through the Korean part okay, but when it came to the English translation/question and answer time I was shaking like a leaf--hopefully not too noticeably. I don't know if it was the adrenaline or the nerves, but it took a while for my hand to stop trembling. I also proved my English-major-worthiness by saying "protestations." It's technically a word, but not with the 's' at the end, I don't believe. And my Korean teacher, whose English is her second (if not third or fourth or....some other number) language, caught it. *hides face*

Speaking of really bad English...I was looking through my Korean-English dictionary looking for the number 12 (it should be so simple.....but it's not) and I happened to look at the ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.). They wrote "twelfth" as "twelveth." Ha.

I've seen the first 3 episodes of Chuck, and...yeah. New show to add onto my Need-to-Keep-Tabs-On. Adam Baldwin FTW!!!!! Now if only NBC would put up episodes 4-12 instead of randomly jumping to having episode 13 up, that'd be great (because...I have nothing better to do besides homework...or update fanfiction....or do my reading for Chaucer and Rome.....or study for the Planets final come the 11th.....)

"And the wheel," said the Captain [of the load of bloody useless loonies], "what about this wheel thingy? It sounds a terribly interesting project."
"Ah," said the marketing girl [one of the bloody useless loonies], "well, we're having a little difficulty there."
"Difficulty?" exclaimed Ford. "Difficulty? What do you mean, difficulty? It's the single simplest machine in the entire Universe!"
The marketing girl soured him with a look. "All right Mr. Wiseguy," she said, "you're so clever, you tell us what color it should be." --Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Restaurant at the End of the Universe, technically)

We Can Has Spring/Summer Weather Nao?

Sun, 25 May 2008 05:25:03 GMT

I went and tried this little pizza place called "Valarmos" which I'd read about in the UW's student newspaper. Supposedly their calzones are "the size of a football."

LIIEESS! It's a whole half-an-inch shorter in height than a football! Never mind that it's the same length and width, I declare false advertisement!

I got the "clucker calzone" which is marinated chicken, roasted red peppers, red onions and mozzarella. The crust I could pretty much eat by itself, the mozzarella is thick and gooey enough that you can pull, and pull, and pull and the cheese won't let go, and they don't skimp on the rest of the "toppings." Though, I sorta wish I'd asked to have it without the onions, because it tends to drown out the rest of the flavors. I'd finished a little less than half, not because I was stuffed but because I didn't want to run the risk of overeating and then having to walk in the heat down to the bus-stop (because there was no way I was walking all the way back to UW from where Valarmos is). The price is excellent, too. Less than $10 for what is now counting as 2 meals. It reheats pretty well, but definitely better fresh.

Annddd.....that's the end of my random food review.

I went to B&N earlier and got the last of my "required" texts for Rome, as well as a Moleskine notebook which fits nice and snug in my back pocket ^___^. I was going to renew my B&N membership, which is why I refrained from indulging myself with sci-fi/fantasy books, but found out my sister beat me to it. It's probably for the better; I've got enough to buy for Rome as it is.

Also went to Baskin Robbins. And bought a World Class Chocolate milkshake; not very original, considering I always have the same flavor when I buy shakes, but it's just oh-so-delicious. *mourns the fact that she has no more World Class Chocolate milkshake*

So, for Rome, I have to prepare this little presentation/talk(s) on something Roman. A site, books, etc. etc. I didn't know what I wanted to do, and I kept putting it off until a few days ago because I just plain didn't know, but a new email from the prof made me decide to actually research my choices. I went back to the list of topics, and one kept leaping out of the screen at me:

Via Appia.

I felt like I'd seen that before. So, I Wikipedia'd (that really, really shouldn't be a verb) it, and found that it was the Appian Way. And I recalled from a little earlier, when I'd been looking up Doctor Who quotes to put on my door, that there was a quote the Doctor said in Fires of Pompeii: "Yes way no way Appian Way!"

......I e-mailed the prof and asked to have that as my topic. Heh.

I have a Korean presentation coming up this Thursday *shudders* and I needed a topic on Korea, cultural, linguistic, historical, etc. I decided to do the 1988 Summer Olympics that was hosted in Seoul, and only after I realized the connection between Via Appia-Doctor Who did I remember that the Doctor was a torchbearer in the Olympics.

*is a sad little fangirl that manages to connect everything that happens in her life to her fandoms*

TOWEL DAY IS TOMORROW!!!!!!! KNOW WHERE YOUR TOWEL IS!!!!!!!! TAKE IT EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[in House's subconscious]
Dr. Cuddy: [Stops stripping and looks at House] I'm distracting you. [starts to get up]
Dr. House: No!
[Cut back to Cuddy who is now dressed normally and sits down next to House]
Dr. House: Dance, woman!
Dr. Cuddy: [Resignedly] You'd rather be diagnosing.
Dr. House: I screamed "no"!
Dr. Cuddy: And your own subconscious ignored you. I guess you'd rather fantasize about finding symptoms. How screwed up is that? --House, House's Head

Let's See What's Coming Up

Thu, 22 May 2008 01:53:52 GMT

~~approximately~~ exactly 3 weeks until I am done with the '07-'08 schoolyear and move out of the room until September. O.o

1 month & 24 days until 2nd season EUReKA comes out on DVD!!!!!! Except, I can't really get it until at the very earliest an additional 3 days, since it overlaps with Rome. And then I'd have to see if I even have the money to buy it. But YAY EUReKA!!!!!!!

Also: 2 months & 7 days until EUReKA begins [the first half of!!] 3rd season! And episode titles for about the first 6 episodes were unveiled!!! Drones, dogs, Mummies (Are you my Mum--err, oops, wrong show), mentions of phase, and apparently somebody named Bob! *flails* There's also this woman named Eva Thorne who's being called "The Fixer," and will appear for ~8 episodes.

3 weeks & 6 days until I leave for Rome! Non parlo italiano, ma sarà eccellente! And, randomly, "I'm Welsh" is "sono gallese." Heh.

January '09 Dollhouse premieres! *waves Joss Whedon-fan flag* Apparently FOX is doing some weird experimental thing where they're actually reducing commercial time, meaning the "hour-long" Dollhouse episodes will be ~50 minutes as opposed to ~42-44 (which, why in the world do we consider these shows "hour-long" when they're barely 3/4 of an hour??). ALDKHFALHSALKDFH!!!! I'm of two minds about this. For one thing, longer episodes = more excellence. But on the other hand, longer episodes = more expensive to shoot, write for, etc. etc. And with less commercials showing, that drives the cost up more. So, if the ~~idiots~~ people at FOX see the costs of Dollhouse, they might think it's too expensive and (worst case scenario) cancel it. Especially since I don't think American companies are as well-informed about how these things work (except maybe the people for the show 24, who are also FOX, which might make my worries completely unfounded).

Just let Dollhouse work. Please. Or else I might have to boycott FOX's new shows forever and ever because I know they'll just end up breaking my heart. Yes, I'm still bitter about Firefly and Tru Calling. Ironically, Joss created Firefly and Eliza Dushku starred in Tru Calling, and yet both came back to FOX for a show. Maybe they can pool their good luck and it'll come out on top.

FOX has made me sort of excited for the upcoming TV season. There's Dollhouse, and then there are 2 new shows which I'm sort of interested in giving a go. Courtroom K and Lie to Me, the former of which sounds kinda like House in a courtroom, and the latter is a new crime drama. I just finished saying I didn't want to get too attached to any new FOX shows, but I couldn't help it. They just caught my attention.

Speaking of House and the '09 season....I can't believe they moved House to 8PM Wednesdays!!! What is up with that??? Arrgh. And then they seemed to have moved Bones to a different night, and while I don't watch the show I have read the opinion that those 2 (for some reason or another) shouldn't be split up. Those people will have a field day, I know.

Message to FOX: If you just have to cancel a show, cancel some of those stupid comedies and/or that really weird reality show where millionaires pretend to be poor people and accomplish their one act of kindness by giving money away. None of those shows sound very interesting at all.

The administration at UW apparently favor the freshman to a crazy level. I realize the people who organize Dawg Daze and this weird resident-thank-you-BBQ are completely different people, but...seriously? Giving the prizes to only the freshman-centric dorm (plus the upperclass residents who live down south)? Not cool. Is dividing the prizes between North and South dorms too hard? Or even just collecting all the cards and doing the raffling overnight? Or picking a more central-location? Oh well. I didn't see a PS3 anywhere on the little card thing that listed sample prizes, and I'm pretty sure that would've ranked at the top with the Wii and a bike. Soo..not really bothering.

At the BBQ, though, I had sat down with my food when a guy sat in the booth in front of me. He played a sound clip somehow (cell phone? I'm not sure) and, like the geek that I am, I knew what it was. Final Fantasy VII Fanfare!!! *dances in time with the trumpets/whatever the instruments are* ...Yes, sadly, I did deduce which Final Fantasy it was, though I might still be wrong--I haven't heard the music for I-VI. But I'm 95% sure it's VII. Hee.

Nothing much beyond my television rant/countdown. Well...and that Club crackers are terrifyingly (and it's hard to believe "terrifyingly" is an actual word) addicting. And Nobuo Uematsu is a genius.

(Referring to the new sheriff's car)
Jack: I know this isn't environmentally correct, but I really miss my old Jeep.
Allison: Well, next time you won't ignore the "tornado crossing" sign.

Allison: Be careful.
Jack: It's hard to be carefuller. (Receives strange looks) What?! I know it's not a word! --EUReKA, Once in a Lifetime

What Did I Do......???

Sun, 18 May 2008 12:09:35 GMT

My next-door-neighbor has been having a conversation with a friend since about 3:50, when it woke me up. It's 5 now, and they're showing no signs of stopping. And, of course, I'm one of those people who needs quiet to sleep.

Their decibel is at that perfect spot where it's quiet enough to be just their personal conversation, but loud enough to be heard through the wall and keep me from sleeping. Now, though, their volume is getting a little louder. I've tried everything short of knocking on her door and telling her (because my temper's gone beyond simply asking) to be quiet, or take it down to the lounge, and I really don't feel comfortable telling her she needs to stop the conversation, since it's in her room and she's not shouting at the top of her lungs. It's not her fault the walls are as thin as they are. It is her fault for being up at 4 in the morning and apparently needing to prolong this dratted conversation.

Why the heck does she--or anyone?!?!--need to have everyday conversations at 4 in the morning?!?!?!?!?!

So. Yeah. Unless she miraculously stops now, I'll be spending my Sunday with just 2 lovely hours of sleep. YaYz!!11!!!one

ALSKDHF;ASHDFAKLSDHFALSDKHFLAKSHDLAHFLAKSHDLFKAKHSDKLFASJHLAKSDFH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TGIF

Sat, 17 May 2008 03:39:03 GMT

Not much to update about; I guess it's just a "woohoo, TGIF!" post.

The weather's becoming nice at long last, huzzah. I can break out my sunglasses and go to class without a coat and not actually freeze during the walk. The sun came out just in time for the U-district street fair and the Pike Place Cheese Fair, too. Yay!!!

I registered Monday morning for Autumn quarter, and it went easy. Senior-standing is awesome to have; I meant to get up at 5:50-ish to register even though I realized I didn't need to, but that night I slept horribly, so I went ahead and slept through til my normal time of 8:10. Did my morning routine, got on the computer, and registered for all my classes with nary a hitch. I'm taking 2 creative writing classes (again! Did I not learn last autumn quarter? Apparently not), an American history course that is a writing credit (needed for graduation) and a classics course ("Sex, Gender, and Representation in Greek and Roman Literature"). The last one I'm sort of waffling on; if I want to pursue the Classics minor, I would have to take this class to earn the number of credits required.

I finally got around to going to a comics store and bought the latest issues of BtVS Season 8 and Serenity. Serenity: YAY! though issue 3 was confusing, and Buffy: O.O Joss is a genius at the Evil!Cliffhanger of Doom, but also apparently has something against couples living happily ever after. *flails*

Dr. Ramirez: How'd you do it?
Angel: I got the test ahead of time and passed it out to all the others?
Dr. Pearson: How did you get it?
Angel: The Mailman
[pause]
Angel: I strangled him and his body's decomposing in my locker. --Stand and Deliver

Boredom and a Headache, Woo Hoo!

Fri, 09 May 2008 06:20:23 GMT

That whole "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" thing? Yeah, unless they're talking about the Doctor, they're wrong. I bought some Fuji apples from QFC, ate them every day since Wednesday last week until I ran out Friday, and Saturday morning what happens? I wake up with a cold. So pooh pooh, apples-a-day people, pooh pooh.

There's apparently this "Greek Week" going on, and of course Hansee is pretty much across the street from the Greeks, so I've been hearing music, screaming, bull horns, and who-knows-what for the last week all day.

I went to bed early Tuesday night so I could fight off the stupid cold, like 11PM early as opposed to 1AM. What's my reward? A drunk someone (I know who, but no naming names) comes to my next door neighbor at about 2AM, has a conversation loud enough to wake me up, and tops it by somehow slamming into my door. Yeeeaaahh, was real happy about that. Thankfully I managed to go right back to sleep, but the rude awakening? Not cool.

On the bright side of things, I have a three day weekend ahead of me! Woo!! It's because, for second year, we don't really have a textbook because our teacher is still in the process of writing/publishing it. She gives bits and pieces of it when we get to the chapter, but... all the loose sheets get lost in the multitude very quickly, and it's really hard to keep track of what grammar is covered in what chapter so we can go back and review it for tests and such. So she's taking that Friday to work on it. Yay!

I'm kinda/sorta planning on going to Pike Place tomorrow (since I cancelled my plans last weekend to go due to the onset of the cold), mostly to go to the comic book store they have there to pick up the latest issue of Buffy. Hopefully the (second) latest issue and maybe even the final issue of Serenity as well. I looked at their website, and apparently they're also up to issue #4 of the Doctor Who comic, which I remember Nikki telling me about, but it sort of promptly flew out of my mind. Sooo...we'll see if there are any back orders of the other issues. Better yet, we'll see if I have any money to buy any of these issues *glances figuratively at Rome out of the corner of her eye*

I'll probably explore a lot of the Market aside from the comic store, and maybe I'll treat myself to a lunch/dinner there (I'm really interested in finding that Piroshky-Piroshky! place). I just need to make sure I avoid the cheesecake-place, because I'm going to all-too-easily convince myself that I deserve it after my injurous week+cold. And then I want to find the Elliot Bay bookstore, and if I find that I might be able to find that chocolate-dessert place I went to back in junior year of high school on a field trip....

*headdesk* I'm so terribly excited about Rome, and it's going to be even more intense when I get there, but....GAH!! I need money now.

Speaking of Rome, at the meeting last week (has it only been a little over a week???) when all the writers introduced themselves, they mentioned majors and the like. And I'm amazed at how many psych majors there were. Not even double English/Psych majors, but solely psychology. I believe there was one who was double-majoring in English/Psych, but I think about half of the ~26 who showed up were psych majors. Kinda makes me wonder if maybe the Psych department needs to step up their study abroad game. Biology was another major that was strongly represented, too, I think. 'Tis odd.

Oh, and just about a week until the University District Street Fair. *sigh* Money money money money....bwah. *headdesk*

And, random mention here that I shall not explain: I am not a photogenic person at all. =\

The Doctor: I'll have to get a house! With - with doors and carpets, can you imagine? Me, living in a house?!
Rose: [singsong voice] You'll have to get a mortgage!
The Doctor: No.
Rose: Oh yes.
The Doctor: No. That's it, I'm dying. It is all over.
Rose: What about me? I'll have to get one too. Or - it could be the same one. [uncomfortably] We could... I don't know... share. [The Doctor stares at her] Or not, whatever.
The Doctor: Anyway.
Rose: Yeah, we'll see.
The Doctor: I promised Jackie I would always take you back home.
Rose: Everyone leaves home in the end.
The Doctor: Not to end up stuck here!
Rose: Yeah, well stuck with you, that's not so bad.
The Doctor: [surprised] Yeah?
Rose: Yes.

Ood: The Beast and his armies will rise from the pit to make war against God.
Rose: I'm sorry?
Ood: [whacks communication sphere] Apologies. I said "I hope you enjoy your meal". --Doctor Who, The Impossible Planet

FACEPALMX100000000000

Thu, 01 May 2008 22:50:38 GMT

So. My Italian visa. Which I've been griping and moaning about and probably making a lot of you roll your eyes at me from all the melodrama.

But once more, with feeling: I HATE VISAS!!!!!!!!!!!

However, I recognize that had I been more informed and if I'd been made more aware of what all the components were and when they were all due, I would be less angry with the visa (yes, I'm speaking of it like it's a human being, roll with it!).

So, really, my anger is aimed ~~mostly~~ entirely at the IPE office. *fumes with the thought*

In order to obtain an Italian visa, I need to prove "financial security." The only way I manage to attend and live at UW is through financial aid. So, I submitted the document saying I'd show I have financial aid so the people at IPE could write a letter saying, "She has money. Let her go to Rome."

Admittedly, I dropped the ball a tiny bit on this part. I didn't realize I needed to have already applied for summer aid by the time I submitted my visa application so the woman working with us Creative Writers (we shall henceforth call her YoSaffBridge because I don't like either woman) could send the collective visa apps sometime in the last week, so that's my fault. But the financial aid office doesn't decide financial awards until May-ish.

Can we see the issue here?

I submitted my visa application the 10th of April. YoSaffBridge only emailed me about the problem on the 29th. I'm not even going to try and speculate what all she was doing in those TWO WEEKS she had it.

And now, comes the true source of my anger (because up until that point I was merely frustrated). YoSaffBridge's office hours are from about 8-11ish and then from 2-closing. I got there at 2PM, almost exactly.

She walks in about 2:15 from her break. Then proceeds to take about 15 minutes to do...something. I have no idea what. We talk, she says I need a visa even though the program directors said all we have to do is sign an indemnity form if we didn't get a visa and pretend we're tourists instead of students. I go down to the Financial Aid office, I burden a very nice woman (Lisa, her name was, who was MUCH nicer than the last person I went to about financing Rome) with estimating how much financial aid I would receive for summer, I go back up to IPE about 10 minutes later with the estimate....and YoSaffBridge is "out."

I get that sometimes "when you gotta go, you gotta go." However, YoSaffBridge was only available for....10 minutes out of the 45 minutes I was at IPE.

Mayhaps I'm at the wrong university. When your hours are said to be from 2-closing, you're supposed to be at your office at 2 o'clock NOT leaving wherever you took your lunch at 2 in order to get to your office whenever you get there. Isn't that how it works? Or am I just strange?

I'd heard that IPE was horrible, and you have to watch 'em like a hawk to make sure they don't screw you over, but from the few, brief instances I dealt with them before it didn't seem bad. The secretary/person in charge (she seemed to have more knowledge than all the advisors put together, but she was only greeting people and answering the phone...) was very nice and helpful. But after YoSaffBridge....yeah. *takes out her hawk eyes*

Blah. I don't even know how coherent some of that is. I just got onto the elevator to escape IPE and thought, "She is so going into my livejournal." Grrrr.

I went grocery shopping yesterday, and I now have some yummy French bread, pepperjack cheese, lunch meat, and apples. Oh, and Pepsi, too. *drinks Pepsi to make up for the bad, bad IPE woman* Also went to B&N to pick up a copy of issue 13 of BtVS for Freddie and the 2nd issue of Better Days, since B&N takes about 2-3 weeks to stock the new issues. But they didn't have Better Days, sadly. I'll probably go to Pike Place and see if a comic store there has it. *hopes*

And there'll be Korean food tomorrow! The KSA at UW is hosting a "Korean Food Market" on the HUB lawn. Thankfully the food is bought through tickets purchased at the Ticket Office, so I can use my Husky Card to buy food. *cheers* Since I don't have cash and I demand Korean food. I just hope it's good food, and not fast-food quality Korean food (though I will still buy it).

The Korean test I took yesterday was difficult. Thankfully, though, it wasn't difficult because I didn't know my stuff (though it was still a factor). There was one section where it says, "fill in the blanks to reflect the translation given." Problem? There was no translation. Just a sentence in Korean, a blank, and whatever the heck our brains could come up with. Kim-sunsengnim wasn't there for the test, too, because she had to survey her TAs or some such, so we had no one to ask. Then there was a part where we had to use a certain sentence connector and come up with a sentence based on cues given in English. I knew how to use the connector just fine, but the cues weren't working harmoniously.

Kim-sunsengnim noticed no one finished the test, though, so we get tomorrow to work on it after taking a glance at it today to refresh our memories what we had trouble with. We informed her about the lack of a translation to "reflect" from, so she'll fix that. I don't know what I'm going to do about the connector thing, but at least I'll have more time to B.S. it and get partial credit.

Had my Planets midterm today, too. I know I didn't get 100%, but I didn't utterly fail either! I'm predicting perhaps about a 3.0, maybe a little less if the TAs didn't get their coffee/chocolate/whatever. The labs are weighted more than the tests, though, and I've been getting an average of 9/10, so I'm not worried about my Planets grade (unless something changes for the worst in the class).

I'm feeling a little calmer now. Probably #11 on "You Know You're a Writer When" shirt: You write out everything that makes you frustrated/angry and you feel better afterwards. Heh.

And I gave Nikki her bday present, so now I can show the x-stitching project I did for her.

It's from the UK magazine Cross Stitcher Stitch-a-Star, issue 189, if you're interested in finding it yourself. I know they had the pattern up on the Web at some point in a PDF file because it was so popular but everybody evidently missed it, so it was still in demand.

I made this into a pillow, which is why it's hanging from a braid and has fringes.

And here is the back of the pillow:

It says "Happy Birthday Nikki! ♥ Doctor (& Rose)"

I finished it on time and she loved it, so I done good. YaYz.

Buffy: You're right. Ooh! She's even affecting my work, now. She's the Titanic. She's a crawling black cancer!
[She brings her foot up, around and down onto a bench, breaking it in two.]
Buffy: She's... other really bad things.
Oz: On the plus side you've killed the bench, which was looking shifty.
....
Willow: [on the phone with Rupert Giles] Giles, I just talked to Buffy and, yeah, I think she's feeling a little... insane. [pause] No, not bitchy crazy, more like... homicidal maniac crazy. So I told her to come see you, OK? --S.4, Living Conditions

[takes place in the musical episode, so everyone's singing]
Anya: I've got a theory, it could be bunnies. [uncomfortable pause]
Willow: I've got a theor-
Anya [accompanied by rock music]:
Bunnies aren't just cute like everybody supposes!
They got them hoppy legs and twitchy little noses!
And what's with all the carrots?
What do they need such good eyesight for, anyway?
Bunnies! Bunnies! It must be bunnies!
[Long silence. rock music stops]
Or maybe midgets? --S.6, Once More With Feeling, Buffy

Information!!! It's what keeps the blood pressure low!

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:35:30 GMT

Finally had an information session about Rome today, at long last. And thankfully I wasn't the only one who was irritated it was so late; a girl came to the room early and mentioned how she hated it was held this late. and this being the 10th year doing this program, I don't understand why they don't realize the earlier the better...

Lots of information that I wanted/needed, yay-ness, and some that I kinda wanted them to be clearer about but they were sort of in their "it makes sense to us, we can leave it at that" even though (to me) it wasn't very clear. That mostly had to do with clothing, though, so it's okay.

They mentioned computers/laptops and how, if we don't need them, don't bring them; it'll make the experience that much better.

......Er, yeah. Okay. Sure. Right.

I kinda get where they're coming from with it, but....it's not like I use my computer to watch questionable videos on YouTube or use it to honestly stalk people. I use it to communicate to people at home. I use it to store my memories. I'm sure many other people do the same thing with their computers.

Interestingly it'll be something of a 6-day school week, with Saturdays having...I don't know what happening in the morning. Sunday will be the day off, and there'll be a week July 2-6 which we have off, but somehow I don't think I'm going to be doing a lot of the out-of-Rome places I wanted to visit. Sad times. I guess it just means I'm going to have to come back. The school days will be a few hours in the morning touring the city with the group of ~34 people, breaking for the afternoon heat, and reconvening in the evening until about 8-ish, which is dinner-time. It'll be interesting adjusting to such a schedule, but hopefully I won't be one of those people who are incapable.

Other things of (probably less) interest to note. Yesterday I was walking to my first class, and it had rained pretty heavily the night before so the ground was wet. But I was in my Nikes, I'm used to the wetness, I wasn't all that concerned. And yet somehow my foot still manages to land on a bump so perfectly that it slides out from under me and I pull off Mr. Rockstar-With-A-Guitar move. And this being cement and me without padding on my knees, I get to go the rest of the day with a bloody and bruised knee.

OHYAYZ!!!*cue overdramatic fanfare* </sarcasm> So, yes, stairs are a bit of an enemy now, moreso if I need to go down stairs than up for some strange reason. It's more bearable now, though.

Before I went to my Rome info session I went for lunch at the student HUB, because I like food and I'd only had little snack-type food earlier. I finished my meal, stayed sat to while away the 2 hours before the session...and the fire alarm goes off. It's the first time I've had to be evacuated out of a public building on campus. At least it wasn't the irritating, high-pitched screech of the dorms.

And that pretty much sums up the excitement of my ~~day~~ week. I was planning on going to a midterm review session later tonight for my Planets test this Thursday, but...it's wet, it's gonna be dark, it's gonna be held across campus, and I feel I've got a handle on the material enough that I can study on my own. Sooooo.....not gonna go.

I may have to go back to B&N and buy some more materials for the Rome program, but I may decide to go to the UBookstore to do that. There's an out-of-print text we're supposed to have that the UBookstore has in stock now, and I really don't want to bother with the shipping department again at B&N. But then again, I also want the newest issue of Serenity that came out weeks ago, and I don't think the UBookstore will have it. Bwah. I wanna stop spending so much money on this program but...unfortunately, it will not be.

I read this from cafepress.com, and....um.....*hangs head in embarrassment*

Top 10 Clues You May Be a Writer:

1. You would rather talk to the voices in your head than the person sitting by you.
2. You know the library's phone number, but not your work number.
3. Some of the letters on your keyboard are completely worn off. (only the 'h' and the 'n,' oddly...)
4. You have a favorite pen that no one else can touch. (kinda sorta...)
5. Books are your favorite scent.
6. If you could meet anyone in the world, it would be your favorite author.
7. You eat macaroni and cheese for a week because you spent all of your money at the bookstore. (I've spent all my money at the bookstore...but thank goodness I can't use my dining money for anything but food.)
8. Your/you're errors drive you crazy. (ABSOLUTELY.)
9. You named your laptop. (.......doesn't everybody....?)
10. You would rather write than go out.

...I think I need this T-shirt/whatever.......And really, I'd probably spend way too much money at cafepress if I were so inclined to do the online-shopping thing. I should avoid it at all costs.

Welcome to My Little Corner of the Institution...

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 03:52:59 GMT

50 Books in a Year:

6. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, Beidler Ed. Includes:
*The General Prologue
*The Knight's Tale
*The Miller's Tale
*The Reeve's Tale
*The Wife of Bath's Tale
*The Merchant's Tale
*The Franklin's Tale
*The Pardoner's Tale
*The Shipman's Tale
*The Prioress' Tale
*The Nun's Priest's Tale

One of these days I may actually read the entirety of T.C.T., but at the moment I'm good with this. Yay.

So, I'm a bit pathetic. Let's just say it involves a window that is not completely sealed from the outside, a spider which crawled all over my window but never came near me, me cringing and internally wailing, a bottle, and a kindly neighbor who took pity on me and squashed the spider. And now one of my chores later tonight will be to tape up the sides of my window so it may never happen again. *shudders*

Lots of Autumn 2008 pondering/querying behind the cut.

I don't know what I want to take in regards to my remaining 5 credits next quarter.

My top choice is: ENGL 339 English Literature: Contemporary England
Return to more traditional forms in such writers as Bowen, Orwell, Waugh, Cary, Lessing, Drabble.

There are two downsides to this class. It's right before what would be my last class of the day, and I would need to get from one class to another in 10 minutes though it probably takes about 15 at my fastest. The other is that it fulfills no requirements at all; I'm sorta running out of time to take elective classes (even though it's in my major's department) so it might not be in my best interests to let those last 2 required classes slide past me. On the plus side, if I did take this class (and ignoring any 1-3 credit class) I'd only have classes Tuesday and Thursday. Which would be awesome, but at the same time I'd probably go insane.

A professor hasn't been assigned to this class yet, so I don't know what sort of books s/he'd be teaching. And, obviously, if the teacher is good/likeable or not. When they do announce the teacher, that may be the deciding factor.

My other choices:

ENGL 327 English Literature: Restoration and Early Eighteenth Century
Selections from wits and satirists; poems by John Dryden and Alexander Pope; plays by Dryden, William Congreve, and other wits; the great satires of Jonathan Swift, and the first stirring of the novel.

ENGL 422 Arthurian Legends
Medieval romance in its cultural and historical setting, with concentration on the evolution of Arthurian romance.

They both fulfill the pre-1900 requirement I need and don't interfere with my other classes. I'm not a huge poetry-fan, though, and I'm not all too sure I'm deeply interested in the medieval-lit concentration. I'm tempted to wait and see if they'll offer something more interesting in Winter 2009, but...I don't want to put it off only to find the course selection in winter is even worse than autumn's.

My other option is: HSTAS 212 History of Korean Civilization
From earliest times to the present. Development of Korean society and culture in terms of government organization, social and economic change, literature, and art.

The plus-side is that this is a Writing credit, which is the other requirement I need to fulfill. It also (if I ever can declare it) would most likely fulfill something in the Korean minor.

One last beef/rant about the autumn schedule, then you can return to your regularly-scheduled entry: Why, why, WHY are all the English classes T/Th 9:30-10:50/10:30-11:50/1:30-2:50? There are a few which are M/W, but...would it be so much to ask for a few more classes nestled right in that wonderful 11:30-1:20 slot and are a nice, doable distance to what will be my last class? And why are us English majors being sent to Loew?!?! *flails in frustration*

Official-Rome-Meeting in T-minus 5 days! ...Not that I'm, uh, counting down or anything....*shuffles* And I went ahead and requested a copy of the impossible-to-get-Rome-book assigned to us through the library. Hopefully we're only supposed to read the book by the time we get to Rome. If we're supposed to have it on hand and/or have had it read by the time of the meeting...then I'm just going to have to shrug and tell them they should've sent out notices/had the meeting earlier.

It was a little surprising/eerie to me, but in my Planets class Toby was covering the atmospheres of Venus, Earth, and Mars, and I was following along with him, almost to where I started predicting where he was going with his lecture. O.o Guess taking Weather101 was of some use after all. Though, probably not in the way Jerome meant it to.

And, hee, I wanna go live on Mars, with its dust-devils that put tornados to shame and sandstorms that encompass the entire planet. hey, future scientists, get to work on it; we wouldn't want to make liars out of the Babylon 5 creators with their Mars colony, do we? ^.~

I've suddenly developed a craving for Korean noodles. A particular type, too. Naengmyun, particularly the ice-water broth variety. Though now that I think about it, the spicy cold noodles sounds tasty, too. *wonders where the craving came from, then goes back to her ramyun*

Dennis Hutch had stepped up into the top seat when its founder had died of a lethal overdose of brick wall, taken while under the influence of a Ferrari and a bottle of tequila. --Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

background noise

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 01:11:08 GMT

After I got back from class today I checked my student page, and found they'd posted the next quarter's schedule up. And so, like the complete and utter dork I am, I went and tried to arrange my schedule about a month in advance. And I could very well make a schedule where I have classes ONLY on Tues/Thurs, but A) I would wind up having to make a mad dash across campus which would normally take me 15-20 minutes in 10 minutes, and B) I'm going to see what requirements there are for the Korean minor (which is FINALLY being offered!). If the minor requires a 3rd year, then I won't pursue it because I would go absolutely insane fulfilling all the other credits. If I only need to have taken through second year, then I'll probably take this Korean history class which also counts as a Writing credit, which would take care of all my GenEd requirements.

But, yes, I don't need to make those kinds of decisions until a little less than 3 weeks from now. Sooo....I'm not going to fret over Korean minor or No Korean minor.

I am going to (probably, if the teachers don't swap or something) be taking my Prose writing class from David Shields, an author whose books I have never read. I'll probably do that over the summer, before I take his class. I find it highly unlikely he would be so egotistic that he'd require us to have read his own book(s) for the class, but I'd just like to have some idea as to what his style is like.

I turned in all my visa stuff Thursday, one whole day before it was officially due, so that's over with. There was one tiny little section which the notary didn't know what to do with and I intended to ask the IPE person what I should do with it, but she wasn't there. >.< Sooo, I checked my email a little obsessively over the weekend to make sure there wasn't a message saying, "You screwed up. You need to come in PRONTO." As it's past the IPE's hours, now, I think I'm in the clear (at least for this portion of the application). If not, then it's IPE's fault, not mine. *sticks out tongue at IPE*

Washington weather really likes to be bipolar/insane. Over the weekend we got blue skies, rain, hail, and snow. In one day. With a few switches between them. *headdesk* My sister says she and Mom woke up to white on the ground in Olympia. In the UW's student newspaper, they forecast the weather in a little corner on the front page. They had rain, sun, clouds, and snow lined and bunched up to each other, and a little caption that said (roughly): "The weather's too wacky. We give up! Prepare for everything!"

See, this is why people in Washington/NW wear layers and all that. It's not because we think it's fashionable (though depending on what you do I suppose it can be). It's because of weather like this.

And now switching back to Rome topics...my first Official-Rome-Meeting is the 29th, so yay! I can actually jump up and down about it now since the visa thing is over with. So my Tuesday looks like:

9:30--Go to first class of the day.
1:30--Finish last class of the day.
3:00-5:00--Go to Rome meeting (YAY!!)
6:00-undetermined time--Go to review session for my Planets midterm on May 1st (and, on Wed., another review from the professor himself at 6:30). *twirls finger*

I'm not ecstatic about that last bit, but what can I do. The TA is supposedly going to hand out extremely comprehensive notes, soo...yeah. Want/need those.

I've also bought my flight ticket at long last, so now I know when precisely I leave the Seattle area. Huzzah for having to be at the airport 2-3 hours early, and therefore needing to be there by....well, actually, I'll have to wake up in the early early early hours of the morning just so I can get my stuff together, arrive at Sea-Tac, and be there for the 2-3 hour security check-in. @.@ Ooohh, I am sooooo sleeping on the plane. Or drinking an insane amount of caffeine. *headdesk repeatedly*

*Edit 7:25* My decree: Squirrels are much cuter than crows, and have my undying support over crows. Especially when 2 crows decide to bully one poor, cornered squirrel right under my window. And then proceed to stalk my window when I scare them off.

Zoe: You know, sometimes it sucks having a father who’s the town smokie.
Carter: Well sometimes it sucks having a daughter who’s the town delinquent. [Zoe glares at him] I take it back.
Zoe: Gee, thanks.
Carter: It always sucks. [exits the car] HA!

Zoe: Please, don’t make me do this. I hate old people.
Carter: You don’t do this, you won’t live to be one. --EUReKA, Dr. Nobel

EUReKA DVDs, YAY!

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 02:39:23 GMT

After this week is over, I can look forward to Rome with such a lighter heart. It's a sad realization that knowing all the visa/scholarship/plane ticket stuff is going to be over with soon is the only thing that's keeping me going with the Rome thing at the moment.

On brighter news, 2nd Season of EUReKA is coming!! Huzzah, huzzah! Sadly I'll be in Rome when it comes out (July 15th), but then again I probably won't have the money for it at that point in time anyhow, so...yeah.

There is one thing which put a dampener on my glee for the 2nd season:

'Eco-Friendly' packaging made from biodegradable materials - "Designed in Eureka!"

It appears that Universal has not learned their lesson from the first season! If you purchased the first season DVD set last summer, you will be aware that the disc trays, made of biodegradable materials (more commonly known as potatoes...hey, they said it - on the back of the set!), are pretty useless at holding the discs. Sounds like this 3-disc second season set is gonna be exactly the same!

.....But as for the biodegradable materials packaging...expect to find your discs firmly OUT of their places when you buy the set in July...

*whimpers* I'm all for being nice to the environment, but....really? I would like it if I didn't have to handle my EUReKA DVDs like a tray with heirloom-quality china. I hope they've improved the disc trays' ability to keep hold of the disc.

I don't know if I've already said this, but....Hot food in Ian's = EXCELLENCE.

Okay. No more procrastination for me. *sigh*

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me. --Martin Niemöller