Amazing, Amazing Book

I'm sure I'll write a longer review once I finish it...but right now, I'm just busy drinking in the beautiful language, intricate storytelling, and in-depth characterization in Ian McEwan's Atonement. It really is just a beautiful book.

Summer, Unofficially

Fresh York County strawberries, a wonderful thunderstorm with the sky turning a lovely shade of green, the crisp breeze after the storm, a sunny (yet muggy) walk across the Walnut Street bridge in Harrisburg, Memorial Day grilling, a fantastic book (Atonement)...yes, indeed, it's summer. Enjoy.

New Life Goal

As if I don't have enough already. So, as usual, I was bored & playing around on Amazon and I came across this wonderful loveliness. So I read through them and it generally seems like a much better list than the one that the College Board put out a long time ago (I think it was like 100 Best Books of All Time, but it was all academic literary baloney). I want the overall book so I can see what some of them are about before reading them, but they seem like a good mix of great literature with a few books to ready for fun and/or the message they include. So, this is my new goal: I want to finish them all before I die...just like the book suggests. I totally understand this is a totally unreachable goal unless I commit myself to reading only the books on here, and I'm not one to be able to read a whole lot of novels in a row...I need to intersperse it with some good history non-fiction. If you're interested, here's the list of books from listology. In the message boards on that site, I came across a link to the most wonderful thing ever: an Excel worksheet where you just type in a little "r" next to the ones you read and it keeps track of percentages and how many you need to read each year assuming average life expectancy...super cool stuff. Here's the link to that page (and the document is reliable & virus-free). 3.2% done, mostly thanks to a fantastic senior year high school English Seminar class and some interesting history classes where I got to read novels and apply it to the history...good stuff there. I've read very few by myself...I have such a hard time picking out good fiction for me to read.

I just picked up The Other Boleyn Girl because I have this personal preference to always read the associated book (as much as possible) before seeing the movie, and I really want to see this movie. So that's next on my reading list in addition to a few books from the Russells' bookshelf that are either on the official list or just look amazing. And I really want to buy and read this book before I begin going through the official list, because it looks funny & if Amazon thinks it's one of the top books of May, I'm not going to argue. And then I'll slowly intersperse reading from my new lifelong goal with some of the books I already had planned for the summer and stuff. What I really need is to renew my MM library card because we'll go broke really fast trying to buy books to keep up with my seemingly voracious reading habits this summer. I really have just been a reading machine so far. I've really gotta finish this 250 year history of York race relations so I can move on to the fun stuff. After a full day of work, I need a break from history (ha, I never thought I'd ever say that) and once we move into the new apartment, we'll have a pool. Good book + summertime + poolside = AMAZING!

Home Sweet Home

So, I'm finally back in York after a looooooooong semester at Tech. But I'm a senior & by this time next spring I'll be a graduate (scary eh?). But I think this post is going to be geared towards everything, good and bad, that I've missed about York.

1. Mack's Ice Cream -- not the best ice cream in the world, but it just brings back memories...it's a lot more fun getting ice cream there when you're not the one scooping it :) I go in there with my (way too many) years of experience and giggle as they train new people. It's good fun...and the ice cream is sweet. We had some today & I got my fav. flavor combo since I was a little kid, mint chocolate chip and raspberry -- and of course, Jasper licked the bottom of my bowl as usual.
2. Jasper -- my puppy dog. He's getting pretty blind, and it took more than a couple calls of his name to get him to come say hi. He's getting old, and it's sad. Yet, he's still that little chipper bichon who just gives the best welcome home ever.
3. The smell of Stauffer's cookies baking -- Stauffers isn't too far from my house & when the wind blows right you can smell cookies baking...it's yummy. And as I was driving up my street with the windows open, the wind was blowing just right...it was wonderful (even if mixed with a little bit of the paper mill in Spring Grove mixed in there)
4. Cities!! -- Blacksburg is in the middle of freaking nowhere and Roanoke can hardly be called a city, at least where night life is concerned. I love having downtown York (the nice parts) just a couple minutes away and Baltimore, Phili, and D.C. each within a reasonable distance for a day-long trip. I'm thinking I need to hit up the inner harbor and soon.
5. Baseball games -- yeah, I know that there are a few local teams down in Bburg (and I can always go watch the Hokies lose), but there's nothing like a York Revolution game. Actually, I have no idea, but I am totally going to a game this year. Gotta cheer on my ridiculously named local team :)
6. No classes -- Nuf said.
7. Family (last but the most important) -- I miss my brother like crazy when I'm down at Tech...he has this insane sense of humor that can get me laughing for days. Even when he was blasting his highly-inappropriate music after school today, I didn't have a problem with it. And of course, mom is mom...and I love her for it. And in addition to my immediate family, my neighbors around here are like this awesome extended family. I've lived in this house my entire life and my neighbors and I pretty much grew up together. So it's awesome being able to see them again...and I got to see Miss Mackenzie too. She's so freaking adorable.

This Summer's Creative Outlets

I have a tendency to be a "go, go, go" kind of person. I plan out entire weekends filled with errands and stuff like that, and it usually makes me overly stressed. I've been doing my best to incorporate something creative into my summer. The weekends are just slowly being taken away by family, work, etc. obligations, and with commuting, I'm becoming more concerned that any time for a break is disappearing.

My ultimate goal in life is to have my own stained glass studio. I learned how to do it in high school, and it's generally not all that expensive to get started. There are starter kits online for like $130 which really isn't too bad. And the glass really isn't that expensive either. I got really good at using the glass efficiently and could get a few projects out of one sheet of glass. The big problem is that the actual workshop itself, with needed ventilation for soldering and stuff, is expensive and takes up a lot of room. Unfortunately, I pick stuff that you can't just do in your living room. And it doesn't look like Don't Throw Stones in York is offering any classes or time in their workshop over the summer. So I'm majorly pissed about that. So it looks like in this case, I'll be stuck designing projects for the future, which is fun...but it's just not as good as getting your hands on some pretty glass and making something out of it.

Right now, I'm looking for a place in Harrisburg that offers intermediate ballet or jazz classes for adults. I really miss taking class on a regular basis and my studio in York only offers summer classes at 5 and I'd never make it home in time to get there in time. I took classes for 13 years in York. Tuesday nights were my favorite time in the week...especially when guard wasn't in season. The only problem with finding classes in Harrisburg is that it's a relatively big city and most studios cater to the serious dancer, which I most certainly am not. I like it because it's a fun way to stay in shape and I feel pretty when I'm dancing. Sometimes, I watch old recital videos and I just miss it...almost as much as I miss color guard. I keep hinting about having someone buy me the NYCB workout tapes and once I get them, at least I'll be able to work on some flexibility and technique stuff.

But most of all I miss color guard. I never ever thought I'd say this, but I actually miss the practices too. I mean, I knew the second I stepped out onto the field for Championships senior year that I would miss performing so bad it hurt...but I never thought I'd miss practices. But I do...I miss learning new work, teaching work, and playing with the routines. I miss learning sets. I miss band camp. I miss being a section leader...and the section leader meetings. I miss everything about it. I figure eventually I'll help out at YS or whatever high school is most nearby, hopefully writing some work and eventually moving up to have my own guard. But most of all this thing is killing me. I want to play with it, I want to see if it's everything it's supposed to be...because it looks freaking sweet. Tape that baby up with some sweet color electrical tape and it would be sweet on the field. Next step: talking my high school into getting them (it only took them like 5 years to accept sabres back into the lineup). So for this summer, my plan is to buy some sweet China silk and make myself a pretty flag to spin at my leisure...we'll work on the rest later.

Packing, Moving, the Like

I absolutely hate packing and moving and all that stuff. I get distracted so easily (just like when I'm doing other things I hate). The silly psychologist in me thinks that it has something to do with my so-called fear of change. But it's not that I'm afraid of changing; generally, I accept that things change...c'est la vie. I do admit, though, that I'm gonna miss this apartment. It was the first one that my name was on the lease and I had some responsibility for (however well I took on that responsibility...but that's a different story). I'm just really not cool with the fact that I'm packing all this stuff up, unpacking it on Thursday, packing it up again in two weeks, and moving into a new apartment. And this will all be repeated in 3 months or so when I head back to the Burg for classes in the fall. No wonder I have no desire to pack. Even after I graduate from Tech, we'll be moving around in the PA/MD area depending upon what grad school I end up going to...and then after that depending upon if/where I get a job (although retail at B.Moss is sounding more and more appealing...discount anyone?). I'm not used to not having life all planned out; I need to get used to it though. But all this packing and mind racing and lack of mental exercise is making it really hard to get to sleep.

Plus, I think there's a little part of me that's starting to get nervous about work this summer. It's my first internship, and I'm scared that I'm so excited for it. I really really was looking forward to my job last summer, thinking it would be cool to be working with kids on a regular basis and to get some recreation experience on my resume...but the job turned out to be a pain in my ass. Twenty-five 3-5 year olds in one place (inside most of the time) is never a good idea. And to add glue and sand art and TYE-DYE to the mix...horror. Plus, bop me on the head (shoulda had a V-8 style) if I ever consider supervising high school students ever again. They have a tendency to be miserable. But really, I'm looking forward to spending a summer playing in the archives and working with researchers and stuff. It all sounds super-cool. Plus, I may be doing some oral history stuff too, which I personally really dig. BUT I'm not looking forward to the lovely York-to-Harrisburg commute... Hopefully, it doesn't completely ruin the experience for me. Although I'd better get used to commuting if I wanna work in Phili or Bmore. Eh, we shall see.

The Gap, The Catch, My Loves

So, big news on the Giants front other than a thoroughly wonderful showing in the NFL draft. This, of course, is the yearly discussion of "will he, won't he," meaning the lovely ESPN harping on whether or not Michael Strahan (lovingly referred to as "the Gap" in my family) will be back again this season. I, for one, thought he was looking amazing at the end of the season, and the Giants would love to keep his leadership in the locker room. Personally, I think he's holding out so he doesn't need to go through the beating that is Coach Coughlin's training camp. Plus, he's been with the team for a ridiculously long time (did I hear 16 years somewhere???) and he's kinda deserved a nice long break. I hope he's back...and I hope he's working out on his own time so he's in shape come Sept. 4.

"The Catch" - Tyree/Eli play that made the Super Bowl (yes, I was jumping up and down throughout the last drive and literally screamed when I saw that he made that catch...and Belichek called his wife to tell her to put the babies on the stove for when he gets home), but the WR position seems so up in the air for next season, I'm wondering if Tyree's gonna get a spot. I'm afraid that if he does, then Hixon's out (but I really don't want to give up his kick returner amazingness) for the 08 season. Of course, Plax is in...as is Toomer, whose time will be spent mentoring the troubled, but amazing Mario Manningham through the NYC craziness.

Basically, I'm just excited for the 08 season and am going through some serious NFL withdrawal. 9/04/08 can't come soon enough!!!

Why I'm a history major...

This is the essay that I wrote for the Gallagher Scholarship here at Tech. I know it's nerdy, but every word of it is true (including the fact that I annotate history books that I read for fun...). I like this essay; I'm really really proud of it. I think it may be rewritten just a little for some grad. application essays. Some of the word choice is suspect, but it won me the scholarship, so I'm happy.

"My high school history teachers tried to ingrain in all of their students the often-mentioned George Santayana quote: “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Although this easily describes why every student should have a general knowledge of world and U.S. history, it does not adequately describe why I have chosen history as my academic focus and eventual career. History has always been my favorite subject; my friends and relatives commonly tease me about reading and annotating history books for fun. Studying history allows me to understand the events of the past and how they affect the present, yet it goes even further than that. The study of history allows me to examine how people work; for example, by studying the personalities involved in writing and ratifying the Declaration of Independence, I can see how people react to economic and political pressures and extend that to the current push for independence in Kosovo. Also, history, more so than other subjects, forces me to think critically. It is a very rewarding experience to sift through sources, closely examining the language of the document and its impact on my research. Yet, despite the seeming finality of finishing a paper, I love that any historical study is never really complete. There is always an element of any topic that has not been completely uncovered. I can always find something in my subject that I would like to explore further. Because of this I am certain that I will never become bored in historical research and presentation. For this reason, I chose to major in history, knowing that the discipline will challenge me to think and innovate throughout my career.

I have definite plans for using my history major. Once I graduate from Virginia Tech, I plan to continue to graduate school to study Public History. I am particularly interested in incorporating technology into history museums to help educate more people more efficiently. My topics course, Virginia Indians with Dr. Crandall Shifflett, allowed me to see just how important computer technology is to teaching history. In that class, we incorporated our research on an Indian town in Virginia into a class-wide Google Earth file which may be added to Virtual Jamestown in the future. I realized that history education must incorporate technology in order to maintain interest in the future. I hope to dedicate my career to finding new ways, including touch-screen technology and digital media, to share my historical knowledge with people of all ages. A career in public history will allow me to combine my constant curiosity about all things history with my desire to help the community, for even though George Santayana’s quote is not the only reason I decided to dedicate my career to history; his sentiment is the main reason why I want to pursue a public history career. I truly believe that making sure that the community has a clear understanding of their history is one of the best ways for me to use my passion to effect society."

pre·co·cious·ness

So, I love books & I love dictionaries. I couldn't remember how to spell precociousness, and the loveliness that is dictionary.com really helped me out, so I kept the fun little dictionary syllable notation (yes, I am a nerd; yes, I am a little OCD sometimes).

But the real topic of this post is one of those memories from when you were little that just always stick around. Like I said before, I always had trouble sleeping on nights before big events...like 1st day of school, getting to go see my cousins, the BEACH! And my little obviously precocious mind would think about some crazy things. One of my favorites, which keeps coming back over and over again, was this crazy philosophy about life. I used to wonder (a lot) about life and what it was...and the best guess I came up with when I was little was that at least your first time through life was just like a dream when you're a baby where you go through your whole life, make decisions, and see what the consequences are...and then you get to go through it again, make different decisions when you want to, and ultimately you get to control your whole life based upon what happened in this one dream when you're a baby. And then I would always wonder if I was living the dream or if I was on my second time through. Yeah, I know, I was a weird kid growing up. But I always think its funny when I read about these things for philosophy classes. Because some adults seem to continually wonder about the same thing.

By the way, I need to update my reading list...I've added new books (and have already finished two) and plan to add more. Another amazon.com order is in my future. Woot!

The Times They Are A'Changing

...and I pretty much suck at dealing with it. I remember laying awake in bed every year before school started, thinking about the fact that I'll never be able to be in "n" grade anymore, or I won't be able to relive this summer. I always hated not being able to make time stop so I could deal with things that come up. I mean seriously, the the night before freshman year of high school I was freaking out...don't even get me into how I dealt with the night before heading off to college. I think it all comes down to the fact that I've never been good at living in the moment -- there's always something to look forward to in the future, but when the future comes, I spend a lot of time looking back at what I missed out on.

All this is coming up because another semester is coming to a close. I still have to finish my take home final and I have another in-class final on Monday (along with a reflection paper, a concept map, and my E-Portfolio for English), but time-wise, I'm pretty much done...and I'll be a senior next year...and then grad school for like 2 years, but then I have to be an adult or something. I don't want to grow up; I'm bad at taking responsibility for anyone but myself. I know I'm not ready to face the possibility of moving away from my family, buying a house, having kids. I know it's still like 3 years away before the "real world" even starts knocking, but seriously. I don't even want to think about having to face the need to pick a job that I expect to go to (and hopefully at least enjoy a little bit). I mean, I've spent the last 16 years going to school to learn the skills to get a job. What happens if I hate working in a museum, what happens if I don't find a job, what happens if all of this was for nothing? Gr, can't I just stay an undergrad forever?