I just got home from watching Where the Wild Things Are.
This is how I spent my Saturday.
I stayed up until about 2 in the morning hanging out in the lounge with some friends. We were playing games and then just talking and whatnot, kicking it. I slept until about 8:30, and then sat around until 9ish. Got up. Did a whole bunch of nothing. Went to the library to work on my essay for about two hours-- I got my ideas out, sorted through how I wanted to work my sources into it. I didn't actually start the essay in depth yet. It's an interesting topic, but to write it will be so boring, and I'm just not interested enough to write it the way that Dr. Harvey expects it to be written. So, I have to write the entire thing tomorrow, which I know I can do. It's not the first time that I've spit a seven page synthesis out in one day, and I'm sure that it won't be the last. For about three hours, we had a skype party-- all of our friends united through the internet. It's weird thinking that we are all in different locations spread out on the west coast, but we're still able to, in a way, "hang out." Went to see Where the Wild Things Are with some other friends...
and now I'm here, waiting for Jessica DeTomasi to call me back...
At this moment, I am more homesick than I have felt the entire time, for every home that I have-- for Turlock and Tahoe and San Francisco and Sacramento. Right now I want to be everywhere that's not here. Of course I'm making friends, of course I'm liking Riverside better and better, but I wish I had some way to get out of here. I wish I could just bro up with one person and that would be the person that I could hang out with and talk to all the time, but it doesn't work like that. No one here is Sarah Boren and no one here is Jessica DeTomasi, and I would never want them to be, but I just wish that I had someone that I could be myself around all the time, someone I didn't have to worry about feeling annoying or stupid around. I need to find someone that I can just kick it with and not worry about anything, or someone that I can worry about everything with. Just one person.
Not having someone like that, I guess, does help me stay really close to everyone at home, but it just gets lonely, because I can't have everyone at home on the telephone all the time.
They seriously need to invent one of those Star Trek teleporters. I would disguise mine as a shower, or hide it in the back of the closet, like a superhero.
It's midnight, but I'm not very tired, so maybe I will check post secret and play some guitar and start working on my essay and write some poems. I think I'lll be up until about two, and I plan on waking up around nine, nine:thirty at the latest tomorrow. This essay isn't going to be phenomenal, but I will make it good enough to work.
I miss you guys. Lots of love.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Finally
Life here is getting easier.
I've finally started getting my footing on friendships. It was hard at first, but as I'm getting to know people, I've started finding people who actually want to hang out and do stuff. On Wednesday night, I went alone to a reggae concert at the Barn (which is like a bar/restaurant/venue on campus); I only stayed for one band, but it was pretty cool. There was a girl standing next to me who seemed like she was into it, but as they kept playing, I heard her saying, "This just doesn't make sense." A guy behind me asks, "What?" And she says, "I'm from Jamaica..." The singer faked a pretty good Jamaican accent though. On Thursday night, I went to the Barn again with my friend Hyun for the Student Musician's Association meeting-- I don't think I will be joining SMA. You can rent out rooms and equipment, make recordings, find people to jam with, and that's all fun, but the information meeting/concert did not turn me on to the idea. Hyun and I ended up leaving early to get our friend Jenny and go back to Hyun's dorm to play guitar and hang out. It was pretty cool, though.
Everyone here leaves on weekends, so it usually gets dead quiet in my hallway. You don't really see that many people. Friday afternoon, I went and bought chalk for the lounge. When I got home, my friend Asa and I proceeded to do some epic scenes: He drew a samurai fighting a giant praying mantis; I drew an alien turning a city into hamburgers, fries, and a milkshake. We spent the rest of the night just talking and watching Superman Doomsday and laughing and talking some more. It was fun. Saturday, Hyun and I played guitar for a while, attempting to write a song. We got the chorus and two verses down, but next we have to do a bridge, and possibly a third verse. We also played a bit of Super Smash Brothers, which he dominated at, considering the fact that I don't think I've ever played that game and I all around suck at videogames anyway. He got six consecutive wins before we quit. Jenny came and retrieved us and we went back to her dorms and watched a movie in their lounge. Around sixish, I went back to my rooms to find out the plan for the rest of the night.
Christy, one of the staff members in my hallway, and Asa came over for about an hour and played cards and listening to music. At around 8 p.m. I went over to B-side (A and B are connected by a lounge) and listened to their awkward conversations, until it was time to go. A large group of us, twelve or thirteen or so, went to go see Couples Retreat; It was okay--average, in my opinion. Afterward, we all went to Denny's (at midnight!) and then walked back to the dorms around 1:30, where everyone stayed up talking in the hallway until about 2:30, before we all dispersed for bed. It was quite entertaining.
Today is my quiet day. The day that I need to complete all my readings for Monday and Tuesday and get any necessary work finished; I've been keeping on top of my homework very well, usually finishing it before I go out and do anything with anyone, so no need to worry that my social life is getting in the way of my academics. It's not, and it will not.
In anthropology, we're reading about human exhibitionism at world fairs throughout the past century and in the present-- Body Worlds counts. Anthropology is definitely changing my perspective even more on how to interact with people and evaluate what they're saying, and eliminating my idea of 'race'. I mean, I've long had the thought that "people are people" but this class is solidifying that belief for me. Dr. Harvey continues to be engaging, while the readings continue to be boring, but it's a balance. I know that when I'm done with the readings, he will find a clever way to explain everything that I have read that I need to know.
I actually need to go do the anthropology reading now, but that is a small synopsis of what has been happening (socially) in my life in the past couple of days.
Just because I'm starting to like it better here doesn't mean that I don't want to be at Home. If I could come Home every weekend, I would, and I'm jealous of everyone who gets to do so. But I'm learning to cope with it.
I've finally started getting my footing on friendships. It was hard at first, but as I'm getting to know people, I've started finding people who actually want to hang out and do stuff. On Wednesday night, I went alone to a reggae concert at the Barn (which is like a bar/restaurant/venue on campus); I only stayed for one band, but it was pretty cool. There was a girl standing next to me who seemed like she was into it, but as they kept playing, I heard her saying, "This just doesn't make sense." A guy behind me asks, "What?" And she says, "I'm from Jamaica..." The singer faked a pretty good Jamaican accent though. On Thursday night, I went to the Barn again with my friend Hyun for the Student Musician's Association meeting-- I don't think I will be joining SMA. You can rent out rooms and equipment, make recordings, find people to jam with, and that's all fun, but the information meeting/concert did not turn me on to the idea. Hyun and I ended up leaving early to get our friend Jenny and go back to Hyun's dorm to play guitar and hang out. It was pretty cool, though.
Everyone here leaves on weekends, so it usually gets dead quiet in my hallway. You don't really see that many people. Friday afternoon, I went and bought chalk for the lounge. When I got home, my friend Asa and I proceeded to do some epic scenes: He drew a samurai fighting a giant praying mantis; I drew an alien turning a city into hamburgers, fries, and a milkshake. We spent the rest of the night just talking and watching Superman Doomsday and laughing and talking some more. It was fun. Saturday, Hyun and I played guitar for a while, attempting to write a song. We got the chorus and two verses down, but next we have to do a bridge, and possibly a third verse. We also played a bit of Super Smash Brothers, which he dominated at, considering the fact that I don't think I've ever played that game and I all around suck at videogames anyway. He got six consecutive wins before we quit. Jenny came and retrieved us and we went back to her dorms and watched a movie in their lounge. Around sixish, I went back to my rooms to find out the plan for the rest of the night.
Christy, one of the staff members in my hallway, and Asa came over for about an hour and played cards and listening to music. At around 8 p.m. I went over to B-side (A and B are connected by a lounge) and listened to their awkward conversations, until it was time to go. A large group of us, twelve or thirteen or so, went to go see Couples Retreat; It was okay--average, in my opinion. Afterward, we all went to Denny's (at midnight!) and then walked back to the dorms around 1:30, where everyone stayed up talking in the hallway until about 2:30, before we all dispersed for bed. It was quite entertaining.
Today is my quiet day. The day that I need to complete all my readings for Monday and Tuesday and get any necessary work finished; I've been keeping on top of my homework very well, usually finishing it before I go out and do anything with anyone, so no need to worry that my social life is getting in the way of my academics. It's not, and it will not.
In anthropology, we're reading about human exhibitionism at world fairs throughout the past century and in the present-- Body Worlds counts. Anthropology is definitely changing my perspective even more on how to interact with people and evaluate what they're saying, and eliminating my idea of 'race'. I mean, I've long had the thought that "people are people" but this class is solidifying that belief for me. Dr. Harvey continues to be engaging, while the readings continue to be boring, but it's a balance. I know that when I'm done with the readings, he will find a clever way to explain everything that I have read that I need to know.
I actually need to go do the anthropology reading now, but that is a small synopsis of what has been happening (socially) in my life in the past couple of days.
Just because I'm starting to like it better here doesn't mean that I don't want to be at Home. If I could come Home every weekend, I would, and I'm jealous of everyone who gets to do so. But I'm learning to cope with it.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Andy
This afternoon, I went to go see the 3-D Double Feature of Toy Story 1 and 2 with my friend Danny; it... was... AWESOME. I haven't seen that movie in so long, and seeing a movie from my childhood in a movie theater was super cool. I can't wait for Where the Wild Things Are, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Fantastic Mister Fox, and Alice in Wonderland. They're all going to be awesome.
I've been listening to music pretty much nonstop since Friday; on my playlist:
Silver Jews
Bon Iver
She & Him
Bon Iver
Built Like Alaska
Andrew Bird
Viva Voce
Conor Oberst (and)
Cat Stevens
I have yet to go to the garden and play my guitar, but that's my goal for the week (on top of classes, finding the post office, going to Raley's to buy juice/milk, etc). I also want to sleep outside in the "secret garden" which is the little lawn and patio area between A-wing and B-wing that we have access to. I probably won't because it's getting hecka cold, but if I can get a ton of people to sleep out there one weekend, that would be cool.
I wrote my first paper this weekend; it wasn't much of a paper, only a one page synthesis of reading notes, lectures, and discussions, but it was enough to keep me occupied. It wasn't too hard, except for that Dr. Harvey didn't really give us any guidelines on format, just what he expected; I guess I wasn't expecting him to. Luckily, I brought my notes from Mrs. Asgill and Mr. Huth's class and used information that I had shoved in my brain from back then, and so it went smoothly. I hope it's adequate; I have four more of these types of papers to write for Doctor Harvey, plus two longer (research?) papers; three to go in philosophy, and three to go in Islam as well.
We're getting past the introductions in the Qur'an and actually starting to read passages, and I'm surprised to see the differences between the cultures then and now; the suras are meant for the peoples of the culture in which it was delivered, so when people read it now, they apply it to their own culture and time and think that whatever the Qur'an says is what goes, but really, it's not supposed to be that way completely. I don't know; I still have a lot to learn. I was talking to one person in my class, a devout Muslim, and we got to the topic of how to follow the religion, and this is what he told me: "For instance, pork. I don't eat pork because the religion says not to; I don't eat pork because it's a filthy animal." I don't eat pork either, but I don't think it's filthy. A pig won't eat itself to death, but a goat will; why pigs? why not goats? Anyway, it was intense to see someone other than the Christians I am used to in Turlock express their way of life so passionately.
Philosophy is weird. My mind isn't really working for that class; I understand what's going on, but my questions keep leading me in circles. I kind of think that's the point; after all, in Euthyphro, that's how Socrates leads Euthyphro: in circles. I'm afraid of writing an essay for that class, though, because I am afraid it will get me nowhere. I'm sure once we move onto the next text and I finally have something to compare it to, it will be easier.
I still have my Anthropology reading to do for tomorrow, and I was thinking about starting my Islam reading for Thursday.
I've been embroidering a lot; a patch and Papou's jacket (it finally says "Gus" again!), and next is my plain black dress. I'm still deliberating whether or not the black dress should have a deep-sea diving theme (scary fish that you don't really see, like angler fish); cartoony under-the-sea (happy octopus, squid versus whale, etc), or constellations, or piracy. So, yeah, if you want to make a suggestion, please do. I'd like to start it soon, though, so I can actually wear it.
Ummm.... yeah. I haven't been taking pictures yet, but I'm going to start real soon (as in, tomorrow?). So, yeah, I guess I'll be posting those.
Alright. I guess it's time to start my reading. I still miss Home, and can't stop that jealous feeling everytime I hear someone say, "I'm going home for the weekend," but it's getting easier to live here. Even though there is nothing to do. It's like Turlock (without cows and rivers), but five times bigger. =P
I've been listening to music pretty much nonstop since Friday; on my playlist:
Silver Jews
Bon Iver
She & Him
Bon Iver
Built Like Alaska
Andrew Bird
Viva Voce
Conor Oberst (and)
Cat Stevens
I have yet to go to the garden and play my guitar, but that's my goal for the week (on top of classes, finding the post office, going to Raley's to buy juice/milk, etc). I also want to sleep outside in the "secret garden" which is the little lawn and patio area between A-wing and B-wing that we have access to. I probably won't because it's getting hecka cold, but if I can get a ton of people to sleep out there one weekend, that would be cool.
I wrote my first paper this weekend; it wasn't much of a paper, only a one page synthesis of reading notes, lectures, and discussions, but it was enough to keep me occupied. It wasn't too hard, except for that Dr. Harvey didn't really give us any guidelines on format, just what he expected; I guess I wasn't expecting him to. Luckily, I brought my notes from Mrs. Asgill and Mr. Huth's class and used information that I had shoved in my brain from back then, and so it went smoothly. I hope it's adequate; I have four more of these types of papers to write for Doctor Harvey, plus two longer (research?) papers; three to go in philosophy, and three to go in Islam as well.
We're getting past the introductions in the Qur'an and actually starting to read passages, and I'm surprised to see the differences between the cultures then and now; the suras are meant for the peoples of the culture in which it was delivered, so when people read it now, they apply it to their own culture and time and think that whatever the Qur'an says is what goes, but really, it's not supposed to be that way completely. I don't know; I still have a lot to learn. I was talking to one person in my class, a devout Muslim, and we got to the topic of how to follow the religion, and this is what he told me: "For instance, pork. I don't eat pork because the religion says not to; I don't eat pork because it's a filthy animal." I don't eat pork either, but I don't think it's filthy. A pig won't eat itself to death, but a goat will; why pigs? why not goats? Anyway, it was intense to see someone other than the Christians I am used to in Turlock express their way of life so passionately.
Philosophy is weird. My mind isn't really working for that class; I understand what's going on, but my questions keep leading me in circles. I kind of think that's the point; after all, in Euthyphro, that's how Socrates leads Euthyphro: in circles. I'm afraid of writing an essay for that class, though, because I am afraid it will get me nowhere. I'm sure once we move onto the next text and I finally have something to compare it to, it will be easier.
I still have my Anthropology reading to do for tomorrow, and I was thinking about starting my Islam reading for Thursday.
I've been embroidering a lot; a patch and Papou's jacket (it finally says "Gus" again!), and next is my plain black dress. I'm still deliberating whether or not the black dress should have a deep-sea diving theme (scary fish that you don't really see, like angler fish); cartoony under-the-sea (happy octopus, squid versus whale, etc), or constellations, or piracy. So, yeah, if you want to make a suggestion, please do. I'd like to start it soon, though, so I can actually wear it.
Ummm.... yeah. I haven't been taking pictures yet, but I'm going to start real soon (as in, tomorrow?). So, yeah, I guess I'll be posting those.
Alright. I guess it's time to start my reading. I still miss Home, and can't stop that jealous feeling everytime I hear someone say, "I'm going home for the weekend," but it's getting easier to live here. Even though there is nothing to do. It's like Turlock (without cows and rivers), but five times bigger. =P
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