it's been a very eventful week, but I'm tired and a bit cranky, so I'll just list them. Maybe I'll expand on some of it later.
1. got lost for two hours in Downtown Crossing
2. filled out A LOT of job applications
3. classes are hard. new material. with actual, experienced teachers in the class. very intimidating.
4. found the BC bookstore. very small.
5. found the student commons. well, one of them. I think they have other "commons"
6. read front and back of the last issue of the spring semester's BC Heights. very well written, from what I've read so far.
7. went to Harvard Square
8. found the public library. got a library card. explored library. got lost in the library. put a book on hold.
9. freaked out about amount of homework required. ahh.
10. went karaoke-ing Thursday night. it was awesome! :) had Pabst for the first time.
11. got a MySpace account because of my literacy class. BOOOOOO.
12. developed London pictures that were on disposable cameras.
13. finished "The Devil Wears Prada"
14. found my mailbox and got code for it. can now receive snail mail. yippee!
15. Boston is really hot and really humid.
16. still exploring. but hopefully not getting lost. :)
I'm exhausted. So I'm going to sleep. I do, however, have two job interviews on Monday. And my friend Todd from high school is coming to visit tomorrow! yay! :D
Friday, June 30, 2006
Monday, June 26, 2006
no more wondering/waiting
because I'm in Boston! I got in Saturday afternoon, so I got to miss the deluge that was (apparently) Friday. I went to the Prudential Center that night as a way to explore the T -- and what adventure THAT was! I was mildly confused for a little while.
On Sunday, I went on a hunt for a grocery store that is accessible by T and was very successful because the Shaw's (owned by Albertson's) was AMAZING. They have deli/ready-made food/bakery/sushi (!) on an ENTIRE side of the store, food and seafood on another entire side and the produce on the third. It was pretty awesome. They also have an entire section (multiple aisles, complete with its own hardwood floors) devoted to organic/natural foods and an aisle just for international cuisine. It's so clean and refreshing and wonderful.
I also found the CVS, which came in handy because I couldn't find a pad of graph paper and don't know where I put the one I had leftover from L.A. I also found TJMaxx, where I bought a bath rug because I hate getting out of the shower and stepping onto bare tile. It's the worst feeling.
I'm pretty sure BC put the summer students in one of the older dorms because this school has A LOT of new res halls. But it made more sense when I came back from grocery shopping on Sunday that there were a lot of parents and teenagers milling around with BC bookstore bags .... ah, freshmen orientation. Of course, they had to put the new students in the good dorms. All schools do it. They've gotta impress the parents! :) But when you think about it, why try to impress them? They've already paid the deposit (BC asks for a deposit), so these families are already financially committed to this school, and their children have probably rejected everywhere else. Anyway, thought it was interesting that colleges are still wooing the already-wooed.
Today, I went job-hunting. It was no fun. Now I am tired. My feet hurt. And I feel gross because it was really hot today. And I found a Trader Joe's. woohoo.
On Sunday, I went on a hunt for a grocery store that is accessible by T and was very successful because the Shaw's (owned by Albertson's) was AMAZING. They have deli/ready-made food/bakery/sushi (!) on an ENTIRE side of the store, food and seafood on another entire side and the produce on the third. It was pretty awesome. They also have an entire section (multiple aisles, complete with its own hardwood floors) devoted to organic/natural foods and an aisle just for international cuisine. It's so clean and refreshing and wonderful.
I also found the CVS, which came in handy because I couldn't find a pad of graph paper and don't know where I put the one I had leftover from L.A. I also found TJMaxx, where I bought a bath rug because I hate getting out of the shower and stepping onto bare tile. It's the worst feeling.
I'm pretty sure BC put the summer students in one of the older dorms because this school has A LOT of new res halls. But it made more sense when I came back from grocery shopping on Sunday that there were a lot of parents and teenagers milling around with BC bookstore bags .... ah, freshmen orientation. Of course, they had to put the new students in the good dorms. All schools do it. They've gotta impress the parents! :) But when you think about it, why try to impress them? They've already paid the deposit (BC asks for a deposit), so these families are already financially committed to this school, and their children have probably rejected everywhere else. Anyway, thought it was interesting that colleges are still wooing the already-wooed.
Today, I went job-hunting. It was no fun. Now I am tired. My feet hurt. And I feel gross because it was really hot today. And I found a Trader Joe's. woohoo.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
T-minus one week
Hellooooo!
Sorry about the non-writing. I've been busy procrastinating. I've been watching a lot of "House, M.D." In fact, I've finished the entire first season on DVD .... repeatedly (you know me....).
I've been reading quite a lot, too, but have not finished a book recently ... I'm in the middle of many books. Right now in the pile beside my bed is "The Jane Austen Book Club" (for the second time ... mine is red), "Shakespeare of London" (for the umpteenth time) and "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" (new acquisition ... and am NOT pleased that it is an Oprah Book Club selection. I did NOT choose it because she said so. I do NOT support the Oprah Book Club). The last one is written by Carson McCullers, who wrote "The Member of the Wedding," which I read an excerpt of in high school. But I heard about this book from a list that has the top 50 (100? 10?) most famous first lines of novels in the world. "Moby Dick" reigns over the list, and "Pride and Prejudice" is second. Also on the list: "Tale of Two Cities" and a Mark Twain and a couple of John Steinbecks.
I leave for Boston in exactly one week, so I am spending this week cleaning my room and packing for the journey. This is getting very exciting. :)
Sorry about the non-writing. I've been busy procrastinating. I've been watching a lot of "House, M.D." In fact, I've finished the entire first season on DVD .... repeatedly (you know me....).
I've been reading quite a lot, too, but have not finished a book recently ... I'm in the middle of many books. Right now in the pile beside my bed is "The Jane Austen Book Club" (for the second time ... mine is red), "Shakespeare of London" (for the umpteenth time) and "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" (new acquisition ... and am NOT pleased that it is an Oprah Book Club selection. I did NOT choose it because she said so. I do NOT support the Oprah Book Club). The last one is written by Carson McCullers, who wrote "The Member of the Wedding," which I read an excerpt of in high school. But I heard about this book from a list that has the top 50 (100? 10?) most famous first lines of novels in the world. "Moby Dick" reigns over the list, and "Pride and Prejudice" is second. Also on the list: "Tale of Two Cities" and a Mark Twain and a couple of John Steinbecks.
I leave for Boston in exactly one week, so I am spending this week cleaning my room and packing for the journey. This is getting very exciting. :)
Friday, June 09, 2006
birthdays
I haven't spent a birthday at home since my senior year in high school. And I won't this year, either. Freshman, sophomore and junior years I was in LA because my birthday never fails to fall during exam week. I believe I actually spent one of those birthdays either taking an exam or writing a paper (definitely junior year). Last birthday, I was in London. This birthday, I will be in Boston. Next birthday? Who the hell knows?! :)
Saturday, June 03, 2006
books! glorious books!
Before I left LA, I started and finished "Freakonomics." It was awesome. I highly recommend it.
I then moved on to "Blink," which wasn't as good. I'm not sure if it's because I had a logical reasoning overload or if it's the author, but it just wasn't as satisfying. I also think it has something to do with the structure of the book. The writer needs to break his chapters down a bit because they're really long.
I also read "Stiff," a history and use of cadavers in various scientific, practical and medical studies. Cultural, social, sometimes political. It is also very good. I stayed up many a nights trying to finish just this chapter! one more chapter! then another ... and another. Until I just had to sleep because I can't realistically finish it and still function the next morning.
I've been waiting for the "Da Vinci Code" to come out in paperback for a looong time, and it finally did, and I finally bought it. Except that it's a dud. WAIT. Before you chastise me. I read the "Rule of Four" over winter break, and it was AMAZING. Riveting, in fact. Couldn't put it down. Maybe it was Dan Brown's overly dramatic writing style that really annoyed me. Maybe it was that "Rule of Four" was written more casually. It didn't treat itself as a super-mystery. Also, I think it has something to do with the endless over-promotion of the book/movie/plagarism allegations/etc. Anyway, I was disappointed by the first 20 pages. And promptly put it back on the shelf. Sorry, "Da Vinci Code" fan. Not my cup of tea.
Read the "Rule of Four," though, if you want more stimulating reading regarding ancient codes. The London Independent called it "'The Da Vinci Code' for people with brains." Publishers Weekly wrote that the "Rule of Four" was to be compared to "Da Vinci Code," but it is the "more cerebral -- and better written -- of the two." Read "Rule of Four."
Currently, I am rereading "Shakespeare of London," a biography of the Bard from the perspective of his being an ordinary man/actor/playwright in London from fairly ordinary background. This is a book a bought at a public library used book sale and inspired me to write my USC scholarship essay on. I've read it at least three times. The intro, which I read for the first time, said that almost all biographies of Shakespeare treated him as the Bard that he is, as this towering literary figure. What Marchette Chute was trying to go is to humanize him a bit and tell about the life of the London actor from Stratford-upon-Avon.
I still have a large stack of classic literature that I need to read. I also have a three-page Amazon.com wishlist that is acting as my lifetime reading list. I love it. Reading for a lifetime! That's my dream life. To be able to sit/lie on a comfy couch and just read. :)
I then moved on to "Blink," which wasn't as good. I'm not sure if it's because I had a logical reasoning overload or if it's the author, but it just wasn't as satisfying. I also think it has something to do with the structure of the book. The writer needs to break his chapters down a bit because they're really long.
I also read "Stiff," a history and use of cadavers in various scientific, practical and medical studies. Cultural, social, sometimes political. It is also very good. I stayed up many a nights trying to finish just this chapter! one more chapter! then another ... and another. Until I just had to sleep because I can't realistically finish it and still function the next morning.
I've been waiting for the "Da Vinci Code" to come out in paperback for a looong time, and it finally did, and I finally bought it. Except that it's a dud. WAIT. Before you chastise me. I read the "Rule of Four" over winter break, and it was AMAZING. Riveting, in fact. Couldn't put it down. Maybe it was Dan Brown's overly dramatic writing style that really annoyed me. Maybe it was that "Rule of Four" was written more casually. It didn't treat itself as a super-mystery. Also, I think it has something to do with the endless over-promotion of the book/movie/plagarism allegations/etc. Anyway, I was disappointed by the first 20 pages. And promptly put it back on the shelf. Sorry, "Da Vinci Code" fan. Not my cup of tea.
Read the "Rule of Four," though, if you want more stimulating reading regarding ancient codes. The London Independent called it "'The Da Vinci Code' for people with brains." Publishers Weekly wrote that the "Rule of Four" was to be compared to "Da Vinci Code," but it is the "more cerebral -- and better written -- of the two." Read "Rule of Four."
Currently, I am rereading "Shakespeare of London," a biography of the Bard from the perspective of his being an ordinary man/actor/playwright in London from fairly ordinary background. This is a book a bought at a public library used book sale and inspired me to write my USC scholarship essay on. I've read it at least three times. The intro, which I read for the first time, said that almost all biographies of Shakespeare treated him as the Bard that he is, as this towering literary figure. What Marchette Chute was trying to go is to humanize him a bit and tell about the life of the London actor from Stratford-upon-Avon.
I still have a large stack of classic literature that I need to read. I also have a three-page Amazon.com wishlist that is acting as my lifetime reading list. I love it. Reading for a lifetime! That's my dream life. To be able to sit/lie on a comfy couch and just read. :)
Thursday, June 01, 2006
I got a job!!!!!
A teaching internship that apparently pays very well. :) What a relief. I was getting seriously worried.
The copy desk at a Boston paper said they're not looking for part-time people right now. But I do have some good experience, they tell me. They just don't wanna give me a chance. Even though they have TWO positions open on the desk.
What a bummer.
I watched the National Spelling Bee all day. I love it! So many kids! All so smart! I bet some of them have "stage parents," though. So much pressure! I was really rooting for the Canadian girl (apparently, you just need to be from an English-speaking country) to win, but alas, it was not to be. I love it!
The copy desk at a Boston paper said they're not looking for part-time people right now. But I do have some good experience, they tell me. They just don't wanna give me a chance. Even though they have TWO positions open on the desk.
What a bummer.
I watched the National Spelling Bee all day. I love it! So many kids! All so smart! I bet some of them have "stage parents," though. So much pressure! I was really rooting for the Canadian girl (apparently, you just need to be from an English-speaking country) to win, but alas, it was not to be. I love it!
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