For those of you readers that don't know, I am going on a three week travel history class. My mom kinda forced me into it, just like a lot of things, that I always inevitably enjoy. We all remember my 6-week stay in Italia?
The first meeting with all the students was this week and I am pretty sure my excitement level can't get much higher. We have one week of class in late June and then we leave July 3rd to explore the American West! Yellowstone and the parks of Montana are the highlights on my list, but the whole trip is going to be awesome. It starts in Louisiana, goes to Oklahoma, Kansas (I know, I know, big "Ugh" about Kansas, but it *is* a state and *does* have a history...unfortunately...), Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and ends in Seattle.
So expect to see some pictures, blog posts and historical tidbits (it is a 6-unit History course, after all!) in the coming months!
There are enough problems in the world, why make people feel bad for trusting others? It's not like I can't take a joke, just ask any one of my friends, I am the source of a lot of laughter. Fooling someone is not a joke, and it's not helpful. You want to be funny? Do or say something witty, do not use trickery and deceit, because that is SO 1990's.
I swear I will post blogs again! Expect one tomorrow! And no, it wont be an April Fool's...but it will be about it!
This summer I will be blogging about SO much so stay tuned as I travel from Louisiana to Seattle on the History on the Move class trip, attend 3 weddings, and take on TOO MANY craft projects to mention!
So August and September brought my and Sarah's lives to a count of 21 years. Here are some of the photos to document said birthday celebrations:Sarah, Me, & Behnaz
Sarah and Yvonne, who is holding one of my gifts to Sarah; BITCH wine.
Sarah & I
The group: Yvonne, Nnoma, Emily, Sarah and Me!
RAINBOW CAKE!!!!
I was very privileged to meet Sarah's good friend Carla, who invited all of us to her going-away / birthday party. She is half Lebanese and is spending a year there studying abroad. We had a great time dancing Lebanese-style and meeting some cool people! POKER NIGHT! The weekend of my birthday. Not many pictures, but we had a great time playing poker! Behnaz, my awesome roommate, cooked delicious Iranian food on my request! IT WAS FABULOUS! Called Zuresch Pollo, the dish is made with Jasmine rice, barbaries, saffron, onion, and chicken. IT IS SOOOOO GOOD.
Another adventure in between our birthday was SUSHI NIGHT. Sarah has a make your own sushi kit. We had some good Sweet Potato rolls and a few other homemade concoctions, as well as the "I SAY SAKE YOU SAY BOMB" experience.
Well, if you know me, you know that one of my all time favorite bands is As Tall As Lions ("but lions aren't very tall!"). I don't even know how I discovered them, but the first song I can remember being obsessed with was "Deep Sleeper", which you can hear in the montage of Italy pictures:
When their self titled album came out and I got my hands on it, I was pretty much smitten for life. "Song for Luna", "Ghosts of York", "I'm Kicking Myself", and the ever-popular "Love Love Love" (featured in Meg & Lane's wedding video) are just a few of my favorite songs. The vocals themselves are like another instrument...it's intense.
Back to the point, and their latest venture You Can't Take It With You, probably beat its predecessor into the musical happenings of my heart. The CD plays out in order like a film, each song complementing and leading the way for the next. My personal favorites, the title track "You Can't Take It With You", "In Case of Rapture" (amazing lyrically), the long instrumental "Duermete"...I mean, the whole cd is pretty fantastic.
I am hoping beyond hope I can get my hands on a ticket to the Voodoo festival in New Orleans on Halloween weekend, because As Tall As Lions is performing on Halloween Day! and I have never seen them live, though I've tried.
If you haven't heard them before, download:
Deep Sleeper (From Lafcadio) Love Love Love (As Tall As Lions)
Ghosts of York (As Tall As Lions) Stab City (As Tall As Lions) Songs for Luna (As Tall As Lions) I'm Kicking Myself (As Tall As Lions)
You Can't Take It With You In Case of Rapture Lost My Mind
You would not believe how many times I get this question. So to simplify it, here are the reasons:
1) Adventure! I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and experience something new and completely different than what I knew. While Louisiana is still familiar, there are a lot of differences between the food, culture, and social structures than in California. Believe it or not, sometimes it feels completely different! But it has almost all* the comforts of home.
*There is, however, a lack of good Mexican food and cheap sushi.
2) Cost! It is a fact that you get more bang for your buck here. My housing, a bedroom and bath all to myself with 3 roommates, two living rooms, a kitchen and washer/dryer, is the cost equivalent of a shared dorm room at a California university! The tuition, even out of state, is equal (and since the tuition hikes in Cali) or lower to California tuition.
3) Atmosphere! The overall feeling at the ULL campus is laid back and not LIBERAL. I don't feel the weight of a liberal faculty or student body, in fact, it's the opposite! There is a huge population of Catholic students (and other religions) on campus, who are active and outspoken. There's even a Catholic chapel on campus, Our Lady of Wisdom! I see Father Chester at Zeus all the time (the on campus Greek cafe).
4) The Campus Aesthetic: the campus is gorgeous! I fell in love with the buildings almost instantly! The ancient green tree canopies over the walk ways give it an old world feel, the look of an ivy league with less pretension.
5) My friend Sarah said it fit me perfectly: Sarah said I would fit in on this campus more than she did (she's a French major), and she was right! Not only was it a great choice, but I couldn't imagine myself anywhere else. I love my teachers and classes, and have made some great friends here. Who knows what I will do when I graduate!
