Friday, January 27, 2006

Start all over again...

It's the end of one semester. Of one experience. Of one challenge. On Wednesday I start my new job at Princeton, and I am very happy about every detail of it...right on down to the new University parking decal that I will be able to pick up in a week. The past few months, I realize now, I was trying to hold on to a part of me that isn't really me anymore. Princeton was a huge part of who I became and what I did, and yet, I feel like a part of me now is ready to move on. Scary huh? After all, I am the mistress of the orange and black. It's not that I going to give it up. There's still a night or two out at the Street left for me, but I am looking forward to checking out places around NJ with friends and housemates and other young professionals. I wouldn't have guessed that there is such a disparity between university students and twenty-somethings, especially after last year. But there is so much to do between Atlantic City and NJTransit trips into NYC. I'm excited, and after the drama of this week, I cannot wait.

Thursday, January 19, 2006

I heart Fulbright :)

Just heard back from IIE and Fulbright, and guess where I am heading for my conference??? I thought it would be DC, Philly or NYC, BUT I was dead wrong. I'm being sent to Tempe, Arizona at the beginning of February. How awesome is that?? Someplace warm in the winter, and I don't even have to pay a dime. I cannot wait. Even better the theme is The Engaged Citizen and Civic Participation in Environmental Education." Anyone ever been before?

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Getting Older

You can tell when you are getting older, because people start getting married. And it isn't unexpected. In the past few weeks, three of my closest friends from home have shared their engagement with me. I think it's great and yet it all seems to have snuck up all of a sudden. I'm wondering if this is the usual pattern...you know with several people all getting engaged around the same time? Or is it just a fluke? Hmmm, these are the things I debate late at night when I am not sleeping. I know begin to semi-understand what all the fuss might be about among my older friends. It's funny how this creates some sort of pressure, as evidenced by my mom tonight when I told her about one friend who's asked me to be a bridesmaid. Her first question was not about the friend or how the proposal went, but rather "and so do you have to find a date? better start looking." gee thanks mom. And yet I don't think it really was a sign of no support, but instead it was an indicator of the ideals of those around us, particularly as we leave behind being an undergraduate. It really is time for the"real" world, whatever that means, and for figuring out the future.

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Quote from 3rd Floor Blair (Frosh Year)...

Tony
"I don't remember. It was really good." (so good that you forgot? cmon Tony!)
"It's always a gamble when you screw." (you play for money Tony?)
"I'll come over and pull your cord out!" (tony just wants to make sure I do my "work")
Emily
"Kristin only takes a few minutes. You can wait." (take a number?)

"What goes up must come down" (the entirety of Emily's physics knowledge)
"I'll tell Josh, 'you know those services you provide for Tony? Well I'm better.'" (Hmmm...)
“Its like wearing liquid latex” (and you know this how?)
Carlos
"I want a warm fuzzy." (We know you do)
"If you pump it full of plastic it will stay, right?" (Ya, Carlos, sure)
“I think ‘suck it home’ has more zing to it” (up and coming linguistics major)
Kristin
"But my feminine wiles usually make it bigger." (Nothing new there)
"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup."
"It's a double whoosh procedure." (A 1. 2. 3 4 5. Let's Mambo!)
Amy
"At least I didn't trip over myself and go down on you[Emily]." (On second thought...)
"I'll get it[the hive thing] off in a few whacks." (Yep. Hit em while their young. Nothing like the larval stage)
"I don't even know what it was or how I could ever get it up again." (fill me in emily)

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Hello there!

So this past semester, I've not been all that great about updating my life story. BUUUT I finally have some free time. I just finished all of my grad school applications, and for those of you that don't live nearby, they are mostly for German PhD program. On the plus side, I have already gotten into one program :) Now that I am all done with that and with my teacher certification program, I have my life back and that is quite exciting. I just spent three weeks at home with my family, which I have not been able to do in far too long. It was nice and quiet with a few concerts and meals out at fun restaurants. I also caught up with Miss Courtney, who was back from Australia for one week only before going to Switzerland for the next few months. Funny how with certain people you don't ever feel like you've actually been apart. hmmm. Speaking of people leaving, Jeanne heads to Thailand in just a few more days, which is really quite sad, because it makes Princeton so much more lonely without her around. However, today I received an email from the Fulbright Program, and that was quite exciting. They are inviting me a several day, all-paid conference as an alumna! How cool is that? It will be this spring and as I find out more, I can share the details. In other news, I learned that a whole bunch of my really close high school friends are all engaged. It's super exciting and yet still rather scary. I'm glad that they are so happy, but we all seem so young. Guess it's time to mull that one over. In the meantime, it's nice to be back in Princeton, especially at a time of year that many people have no fixed schedule, which means a chance to catch up and hang out with people that are normally busy when I'm free, but then again, I have hardly any schedule right now, so I guess that makes it all the easier!

Sunday, January 01, 2006

"aussie bands...they're fun"

it's 2006. word up. and all that the courtnator and i have accomplished so far is passing out on a couch together at 5 am during an all-night law & order CI marathon. we're such tools. but i love it. courty's embarassed, but that's ok too. it's all for good measure, since she is leaving for die Schweiz in just TWO more days. ding! fries are done. ooooh cheese fries. anyways, we've spent the evening and day catching up on her down under stories and the tales I have from Bamberg. It's been great and now I may just be staying another night 'cause I'll miss her when she's gone again. Soooooo....there will be more online surfing so that we can share pictures and even more stories. The best thing though is that we may have a European rendez-vous in April!!! oh me oh my :) Who's ready??

"oooooooooh ooooh me! i am" ~Courty