Friendships versus the world

So, it's the month of NaNoWriMo and in honor of that, my subconscious and my schedule have decided to corroborate and make me write as much as possible. With essays, group projects, my novel, and these blogs that I feel the urge to write, I don't know when I'm gonna have time to watch Glee! Mixed in with all this writing I'm doing is the purpose of this blog. I'm trying to have a better social life and not be such a hermit. I'm trying to hang out with my friends more, take more initiative when hanging out to be there for them, and do more fun and exciting things like swing dancing and rock climbing. I've decided that instead of focusing on myself or finding some sort of love interest, I'm going to focus on developing the friendships I have and trying to make new ones. These will be the people who I stay with, who I tell my secrets to, who I learn from and lean on and visa versa. At least I hope so. This is a current life decision and I intend to stick with it for a while. On a lighter not, expect some modern, sexy, fairy tale photos soon. I'm taking them for my photography portfolio and I'm well excited. YAY!

Let's Go To The Movies (or TV)

Film: 5th Element
Action Film: Equilibrium
Drama Film: Under the Tuscan Sun
Fantasy/Sci-Fi: Lord of the Rings series
RomCom Film: Pretty in Pink
Horror Film: The Orphanage
Film based on a book: Jane Austen Book Club
Film based on a play: Midsummer's Night's Dream w/Stanely Tucci
Actress: Kate Winslet
Actor: Bruce Willis/Alan Rickman tie
Comedian: Stephen Fry/Carol Burnett
Director: Ron Howard/Gurinder Chada
80's Film: Weird Science
Foreign Film: Amelie
Film Couple: Stanely Tucci and Meryl Streep in Julie and Julia
Classic Film: Born Yesterday/Royal Wedding tie
Movie Musical: Finnian's Rainbow
Christmas Film: Miracle on 34th Street
Favourite Old Sitcom: Bewitched
Favourite 90's Sitcom: Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Favourite Current Sitcom: Glee
Favourite Crime Show: Psych
Favourite Comedy Show: How I Met Your Mother
Game/Quiz Show: Does qi count? if not, Jeopardy
Stand Up Comic: Michael McIntyre
Cult Film: Blow Up
Television Actor: Neil Patrick Harris/Dule Hill/James Roday/Kevin Sorbo four way tie
Television Actress: Jane Lynch/Kristin Chenoweth
Favourite Reality Show: Dancing with the Stars
Favourite SciFi Show: Andromeda

I encourage you to copy this and do it yourself...cause it's fun!

Austin, TX, apparently the capital of awesome artsy stuff

So, I have some plans for the summer, if I can find an online or freelance job to earn some mulah. I have three ideas so far:

Idea Number 1

Intern in the Public Relations department at the Phoenix Art Museum. It would be cool because I'm a bit of an art history nerd (and by a bit I mean obsessed...) and a bit of a fashion nerd (same definition, and they have a fashion exhibit). Also, I might get to help organize public galas etc...which would be really fun and good experience. Plus side: Live at home for free. Downside: It's in Phoenix and doesn't really aid my need for travel.

Idea Number 2

Intern in the Public Relations/Marketing Department at Walden Media Studios in L.A. It would be cool because its what I really want to do, at this point in my life, you know, work in the book/music/movie/fashion industry, as opposed to doing PR for a law firm or something equally as boring. Also, I'd get to deal with different kinds of crises and meet famous people and become their friendly aquaintences, or even their friends! Plus side: It's in L.A. and its a publishing company(!). Downside: It's in L.A., kind of a sketchy town, and I don't currently have the money to live there for a summer.

Idea Number 3

Intern in Austin, TX, possibly at a boutique I found while browsing the interwebs. It would be cool because it deals with fashion, which is something I'm looking for. Also, I am hoping to convince a family friend that lives there that if I pay rent or buy my own food, she would let me stay at her house. I haven't breached that topic yet, but I will soon (maybe she'll read this!). Also, it's in Austin, the capital of cool and bohemian awesomeness, with a really good music scene. Plus side: It's in Austin and aids my need for travel, as I've never been there. Downside: I don't know if I can convince my friend to let me stay at her house...

As you could probably tell by the title of this blog, this option is my current favourite.

Which option is your favourite/Which option do you thing I should go for?

xxx

Disney Ridiculousness and Tip-Top Days

Today may not be the epitomy of good, perfect days, but it came darn close! The only two things that are a real downer so far are: the fact that I slammed my finger today when I tripped up the stairs...I'm having just a bit of trouble typing because, well, it does kind of hurt, not to be wimpy about it. And my Women's Studies class, as a whole. Pretty much it's a load of rubbish with a few interestingly decent points thrown in here and there. Today she talked about how body image is perpetuated by Disney Princesses which I guess I understand, but then she said, and I quote "what's with all the silly dresses and tiaras?" Well, the dresses focus on the time period and geographical location and they wear tiaras because they're royalty, of course...duh. Also, teh class mentioned that villains are always people of colour. In my vast film viewing, I find this to be false. For example, Disney films with humans, created by Walt originally (who people know was slightly racist): Aladdin- Jafar was the same race as everyone else. Mulan- the Huns really were the enemy of the Chinese. Peter Pan- Hook was white. Snow White- White. Sleeping Beauty- White, well okay, sorta green... Little Mermaid-...purple... Cinderella- White. Beauty and the Beast- white, AND the ideal of a "perfect male physique". Pochahantus- Whites(who really were enemies of the Native Americans at one point. 101 Dalmations- White. And those are just Disney films. Actually, most villains are played by Brits, rather than people of colour. There are villains that are people of colour (Push and Shanghai Noon for example) but it really isn't a stereotype and I wish people wouldn't make such a big deal of it. Every monday and wednesday I leave the class fuming and have to call someone to listen to me rant. It's the only thing that calms me down. If I happen to call you, just nod sympathetically (I can hear that through the phone you know) and make occasional remarks like "really?" "no way!" "I can't believe she said that!". It'll help me a lot. I guess the class does make me think...
But on to the overwhelmingly good part of the day! I got to talk to two people about my time studying abroad, fun! I made plans in the distant future to travel to, a) botswana b)China c)Amazon on a river tour, with a friend. I met someone new and exciting today and am looking forward to having a new, cool friend in her. I got compliments on some photos I took(!!) and overall, I'm have a tip-top day. Tonight, it gets even better with Dancing with the Stars (Sabrina, Swayzee tribute, and Lion King performance), Glee(need anything else be said?) and laundry, yippee! Sorry that this was a bit of a lacklustre blog to come back from my hiatus on, but I'm just too happy to write much :)

Homesick for Normalcy

I've been in this really weird state of mind recently. I'm home and what I'm doing was, at one point in my life, normal (to clarify, I'm sitting at home bored out of my mind or doing chores), but that sort of lifestyle hasn't been normal for about 4 years. I've always had something to do, a job or something. So, while I'm sitting here on the interwebs, bored out of my mind, with the occasional fun thing to do, I'm pining for different things. I'm pining for more family time. I want to bond with my parents, I want to just watch movies and play games and chat, but they are at work a lot of the time, and I am not. I pine for my University life. I can't wait to go back and see all the friends that I haven't seen since december. I pine for the normalcy of going to class everyday and hanging out with good friends at night and watching movies, or going to church, or grabbing a coffee. I pine for my highschool friends, who I won't see for much longer, unless they make the two hour drive up to Flag. And I also pine for England. Yes, of course I pine for the foggy glory of the British countryside, even though I love me a good cactus and some rocks, but mostly I pine for the people. I want so much to have the times we had back, but they will never again exist. Even if we all get together again, which I'm hoping most of us will do next year, it won't be the same. Change is good, it broadens the mind and the personality, but right now I'm stuck in this strange limbo and I just want to go back. Perhaps not rewind time, because that would be counterproductive, but to have my family, my British friends, my American friends all together with me, each group similar to what it always was, all in one place, so that I can stay close or get closer with all of them, instead of losing the friends I've made and tried so hard to keep. That's all (but don't think I'm depressed or anything, I'm just in Limbo).

Leaving On A Jet Plane

Tonight is my last night in the UK. I don't quite know how to feel about this. On the one hand, I'm quite sad to be leaving this beautiful country, it's mild temperment, it's liberal attitude, the friends I've made here etc. On the other hand, I'm so thrilled to see my family and friends again, start planning for my 3rd year in college, making a scrapbook of my adventures, and, despite myself and all my whinging, I'm actually excited about seeing my hometown again with its surprisingly beautiful cacti, and desert rocks as well as its gorgeous sunsets. I will be quite sad to leave the friends I have made here though, as I've already said. Once I leave (once I left Essex Uni actually) it will never be the same ever again. I will never have those special people all together again. We will never have a time like we had these past two terms at Essex. It was the first of many things for me, and I will miss it immensly, but change is inevitable and it can be good, I suppose. As I have been thinking about this quite a lot recently, I brought it up while talking with a friend. He came up with the brilliant, honest, heartbreaking reality that, while I will never have a time like this ever again, I will always have the memories of my time here and I will have other memories to make with the people I met here at different times. It is true and sometimes when I think about it I smile, and then other times I want to cry. It's different then when I left home. When I left home in January I knew that I would be coming back on July 23rd. For certain. This is not so certain and the Uni experience is already gone forever. It's a bit too blinding a reality than I care to accept. As my computer will be packed up tomorrow morning, I will quickly list things that I have enjoyed and memories that will stay in my mind forever:
Paris with Lauren
Spain meandering with Jenika
Spanish Spin the Bottle
EuroTrip
Waffles and Peep Show with the Fencers
All my many birthday celebrations with Rossen
Italia and Scotland with Tinerz
York with David
Flirt, SportsFed, and Potato Wars
Exploring England with Rossen
That time
Jenika and I hanging out
Flat 3 and Flat 8 SouthSide

I will miss the experience and the people for sure.
I love you all.

hopeless houseguest

So, I'm am officially a houseguest for more than 2 nights. I know I was technically a houseguest when I stayed in Poland, but I knew both the people that I was staying with well enough to feel comfortable with them. Here in Surrey, I only know one of the three people I'm staying with. Another thing that I'm not used to is not helping in any way that I can, Rossen simply forbids it because "I'm the guest". Oh this is frustrating and I really wish I could help or make them and/or myself more comfortable. I'm just not used to this! The only time I've ever stayed at someone's house I was almost equal friends with the family as with the friend I was staying with, and it was only for one or two nights, not two weeks! This is just the newest situation for me, and its a bit uncomfortable for certain reasons and it's confusing. Ah well, I'm having a nice time of it as it goes. Rossen's parents are lovely and his mom reminds me of an old russian movie star when she smokes a cigarette very elegantly and then mutters in Bulgarian, its the only image I have in my head :D

I will make a picture post later with some photos from Surrey, but sadly I don't feel inspired enough to write about Roma or York, other than David's family is lovely, I saw Obama, and I saw the most beautiful church in the world, no offence to people who don't attend services at Santa Maria Della Vittoria. byebyebyebyebye!!

Dzien Dobry!!

aka: hello in Polish! well, you guessed it, I'm in Poland, officially. After an well crowded flight over here, and a short wait in the airport coffeehouse, I saw Jim, after three years! It was wonderfully exciting and nice. Last night Anka cooked us a traditional polish dinner of something similar to dumplings topped with goulash. It was yummy. Then today, after waking up completely confused as to where I was and what day and time it was(I was tired and delirious) I went on a bus to town centre. I wandered around the huge mall, Galeria Dominikanska, for a bit, then went to the market place where there wasn't much out (it was raining) and I was accosted by a gypsy asking for money. I didn't know what to do and was so confused, and she kept blocking my escape, until I was rescued by an older polish woman who put her hand around my waist and led me away whilst chatting to me in Polish. I love that woman I've decided. After that little excursion, I met Jim for lunch in a milk bar(which doesnt' really have milk) and had some more traditional dumpling food. MMM!

This evening was my favourite so far. It was just a typical family night, I felt like I'd walked in on a movie and was just observing. The parents played helicopter with there kids for a bit, then we all played blocks. Now there's soup on the stove, Jim was on his computer doing work with an infant sleeping on his lap. Aniela was sitting in her chair pretending to read her mulan book whilst Anka entertained us all by playing the piano beautifully. It was so stereotypically beautiful it made me want to shout for joy! I wish you could have seen it, but then it might not have been so special. I was the only guest and I know them, and I STILL felt like I walked in on an old film or scene from a novel. Well, I will update more when I can about the town, Jim's upcoming show, and possibly Krakow. Then it will be York where I see David again, Italy where I see Tina Simone and Elisha again, and, finally, Surrey where I get to see Rossen again! YAY!! I'm thrilled, actually. Couldn't you tell?