Well if you're uncomfortable you should take off your pants.

Last night while I was driving home I came across a deer standing in the middle of the road. I've seen a lot of deer in the park an they are a more than common occurrence  in Vermont, but this one was standing in the middle of the road in the commercial park across from where my apartment. I saw it in time to stop and it stood still looking at me for a minute and then became confused, circled about and ran off across a parking lot. Luckily for the deer another car wasn't coming along because the deer easily could have slammed into another car while it turned about getting oriented. A few minutes earlier a fox ran past my car while I was sitting at a red light. It was a total zoo on the streets of Philadelphia last night.

This morning I had my first Wimba meeting for my nonfiction class. I can finally say that I have complete empathy for the graduate students that bitch about it in the office. Wimba is a pain and everything we did easily could have been accomplished over Skype or a conference call. It was kind of fun getting up at 6:30am and having a workshop about a concise literary essay that I had recently written. I have to rework parts of it and then let my writing partner look it over and work on it with me. My professor was very encouraging about having a writing partner since I can't get into see her because of summer hours. Good thing Yonni knows what he's doing. The piece is for my final portfolio, but it's something that I want to polish and consider submitting to a literary magazine such as Brevity once it's finished. I also have to send a copy to my dad since it's about him. I just need Thursday to be over so I can finally commit myself to my writing. I've also opened up my log book again. I had a four year plan to fill it up and I probably would have finished it last year if I had actually written in it on a regular basis. The book was a graduation gift from a close friend and the format is designed after the log books that Ms. Knapp has us keep while in Greece. If she hadn't passed away I think I would have sent it to her after it was filled.

I also found out this morning that Samantha experienced death up close recently. She and I are no stranger to death, she especially during her middle years of high school, but nothing quite like this. I would have thought that of the two of us to see it happen, she would not have been the first. I still have a wholesome milk and cookies Amish attitude of my  sister because of the more sheltered life she led and her extremely boring life choices that she's made up until these past few months. It's funny the places that life takes you and it's curious that only a few days ago I wrote about death and drowning in my journal for class after reading CLE in Brevity.

I'm going to Jersey tomorrow, weather be damned. I also have my history final Thursday night so this may very well be the last post before my Hebrew Friend returns from the Holy Land (unless something super exciting comes up). 

Is it really because I let you call me Barry?

Today is Friday which means that I have double work. Yesterday I did double work but in opposite order and then went to class and now I feel completely dead on the inside. Of course it didn't help that there was a giant lightning/thunder storm that started just as I was about to fall asleep, but right now I could really use a nap. I also think I strained my wrist at work this week, because right now it feels really sore anytime I bend it in any direction. I'm hoping it's just overused and not seriously damaged. I want to get out of tray service for the night, but I don't want to have to miss a whole bunch of work. I am also not going out tonight. I am putting my foot down right now and saying no. I have too much homework to catch up on and I am so tired that I just want to sleep.

So I finally caught up with my friend Karrie. She goes home every summer and so I don't see her very much. We try to call each other when we can, but for the last couple of weeks we were playing a very bad game of phone tag. It was literally to the point where I had to start passing messages to her through our friend Merrie just so I could maintain some sort of communication. Of Merrie, who was supposed to stay in the city for the summer, is now back in Baltimore and there is a good chance that Karrie will be back before Merrie is. My Hebrew Friend is currently in the Holy Land right now and hopefully taking the nice candid shots of Israel that I wanted him to take for me. He asked if I wanted something from Israel, but I just want to see what the desert country is really like. Almost all of my knowledge about Israel is ancient and comes from the religion classes that I take at school. My Hebrew Friend is straight up Israeli so he knows what it's really like and when he comes back I'm going to make him go through all of the pictures and explain everything to me. I had him go over currency and Hebrew before he left and now we're going to have more once I get those pictures. I'm hoping that Liz Bloch-Smith does another course to the Holy Lands next year so I can actually set foot in Israel and get a step closer to completing my minor. Next Thursday night/Friday morning Cynthia! and I are going to trek out to Newark to pick up our Hebrew Friend from the airport. I love random rambles through New Jersey. I used to do them all the time with friends at weird hours of the night.

Last night I watched Never Let Me Go with Keira Knightley, Andrew Garfield, and Carrey Mulligan. It's about a dystopian society in England where clones are grown and raised as organ donors for their Originals. The clones are raised in schools all over the countryside and not told about what they are until they are much older. They are also kept away from society and people have certain prejudices about whether or not the clones are real humans and have souls. The movie focuses on a group of friends: Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy, beginning as young children and following them until they begin their donations and eventual completion (death). The film is about young love and the pure human emotions or joy, love, and jealousy that every young person goes through. Even though I was familiar with the plot I couldn't help but cry throughout most of the movie because it was just too sad to know that those poor children would never have a full life, condemned to die as their organs are slowly harvested from them. Of course the crying could have also been from the PMS I'm currently raging against.

She looks like someone who gives ear drops to old cats.

This morning I went and had brunch at Yonni's house with Cynthia and as a nice surprise Kyle came over and joined us. For a really long while Kyle was just Yonni's super best man friend that we would hear about at Borders and then a couple of weeks ago Cynthia and I got to hang out with him and ever since we love Kyle. It's not quite Yonni-status love, but it's getting there, though his negativity towards (500) Days of Summer and comic book movies lost him half a point. Apparently Yonni has never cooked French toast before, because he called me yesterday to ask what kind of bread to use and he even looked up a recipe online. I told him to make sure that the bread slices were thick enough that they wouldn't get too soggy and fall apart in the batter and he definitely took my words to heart because when I showed up the French toast was almost three inches thick. Kyle kept referring to it as Texas sized, they were that big. I brought over some maple syrup that I brought back from Vermont and that opened up a whole discussion on sugaring. My friends found the whole process fascinating and the fact that it takes 40 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of syrup. I need to take them up to Vermont in March when the sap runs and take them to Trapp Family Lodge sugaring house. I really prefer the Coty's house in Nebraska Valley, but at Trapp's you get to ski or snow shoe in, have sugar on snow while you watch the process and then after there are dill pickles and cider donuts. It's a really fun time that is a better experience than what it sounds like on the page.

It's been a slow day at work and sitting in my office chair makes me want to take a nap especially now that it is dark and raining out. I'm hoping that the rain slows before I leave here because I don't want to have to trudge through the rain and then sit in class all night all damp and uncomfortable. I really want to go for a run between work and class, but I've go to finish the readings and our first trial paper. My professor said that she isn't counting this first paper as a grade, but since I have no idea who to do the format that she wants I need to do and then have her pick it apart for me so that I know what she's is looking for for next week. This class is terrible. Usually my summer classes are fun and don't take the teacher a full three hours to teach a lesson. This professor is boring and loves to take up all of the time that she can even if she's not talking about anything class related. It's only six weeks, but  now I can't go to the Matt and Kim concert and I've had to sell my ticket on stubhub. Really really not happy about that.

I'm thinking I might go running after class. It will most likely be an inside run, but that means I can work on my pace today. I also want to get to bed early tonight or at least be inside earlyish tonight so that I remember to wake up in time for breakfast at work tomorrow. That's the only plus about the office on Friday's - graduate food. I'm also going out after work. I don't care if I'm super hungover Saturday morning, I just have to sit in a chair and I get to wear jeans. I asked Merrie what she's up to, but for someone who has been waiting three years to finally go out, she most often sits at home so it will probably be Anna who comes with me and it will most likely be late which means little sleep for Sidney so by the time Saturday night roles around there is a good chance that I will be passed out on Yonni's porch and Kyle will draw marker pictures on my face. Yonni intervene to God that I make money this weekend and make sure you eat that fruit. It will boost your immune system so that you don't have to take the cough medicine that your mummy probably hid from you. Also Cynthia, let's go dancing next week.

Why so sleepy?

Snap, crackle, pop, FUCK! I hate that it's 11pm and I have all of this energy. Where was it this morning when the rain and cold made me sleepy and want to lay in bed all morning? I have l'hockey in the morning and I've tasked Lauren with making sure I come pick her up in the morning. The only thing that's motivating me is that this is out last morning practice of the semester and the idea of the super hot steamy shower that I plan on taking for a long while to warm up after power skating with Guy (pronounced Gee). Oh man that sounds good. Writing this is making me sleepy thank god and I can't believe that this is the second time this week that I've posted three times in a day. Writing this blog is the new vacuuming when it comes to procrastination. Guess who won't be going out tomorrow night since she didn't write her fiction piece today. Not that I really enjoy going out Thursdays anyways. It's too much after being up since 4am and having to get up again on Friday. I'll go out Friday when I'll have a chance to better enjoy my friends' company. Love my friends, especially some of my work friends. In fact I think I actually like my new work friends than some of my other friends that have been kind of lame recently. I should start reevaluating the people I have in my life and start separating myself from the people that haven't been very good for me. Poo, I love my friends, I don't really want to have to do that, but I need to take care of me first.

On a happier note I have become obsessed with all things that feel soft and fluffy on my nose when I get cold and sleepy. These soft items include the fuzzy lamb skin I keep in bed, nice smelling chest hair on attractive men, and flannel sheets. So if you know of anything or anyone that is incredibly soft, I am taking applications for the next cold and rainy day.

MUST MUST get some sleep tonight!

So so so so TIRED.

Im going to make this short and sweet. Sugar. Sugar is sweet. I am super tired today, but this may end up being the longest night ever. I have so much reading and writing to do and since I stupidly told my boss I could work a longer shift than I normally do I have to get laundry and packing done tonight too and set out the spare bed and make sure I have clean linens on hand for when the rest of my family arrives on Friday. It's going to be a very long night for me and an even longer day tomorrow. Readers who actually know me, feel free to comment or text me tonight just so I stay awake. I could really use your help here.

Me after the next 36 hours. 

Steak 'n Shake on Friday

Argh I wish I were a pirate out at sea instead of a student in Philadelphia. I've been working all morning since I came back from the first half of my American Lit. midterm and then I fell asleep. I just woke up a little while ago and I am starved. I have absolutely no food in the apartment unless you count soy sauce and a few slice of American cheese. I'm going to go out and get something, but I'm not sure what I want to commit to. I have a feeling that it's going to be a very late night and since I have BOMF in the morning I'm almost tempted to get something take a nap for a couple of hours and then eat again and work until it's time to go running. Decisions, decisions.

I'll update this post later.

The lines at Acme were atrocious. They only had the self-serve checkout lines running and I didn't want to wait in line so I walked laps around the store until the lines shortened up. I didn't get much just some stuff to tide me over for the next couple  of days. Im trying to get as much of the perishable food out of the fridge before I go away. I'm almost there. Hopefully the rest of my family won't be expecting anything from me in terms of food when they get in Friday morning.

I still have laundry to do and some homework to finish and now that I've eaten a little I feel much better. I just need to take a shower and clean off the futon and open it up to put all the stuff I need to pack on it. I have to pack light and I'm limiting my clothing to only the barest of necessities. I also want to be packed before I head out to work on Thursday. I have an ugly habit of packing ten seconds before I go anywhere. When I left for college my freshman year I packed my room up three hours before Lance wanted to leave for the city. What a nightmare!

Anyways, sometime on Friday I will finally be able to get to Steak 'n Shake. The greatest fast food chain ever to come out of the Bible Belt. The place makes the world's best milk shakes in just about any flavor and combination. Someone in the car always gets a strawberry banana shake, I prefer something with chocolate, but their banana flavor is simply amazing. Yonni's never heard of the place and most people out of the south haven't unless you've driven through. Yonni doesn't drive to Florida so I'm going to have to tell him about it when I get back from the Keys.

Three days until takeoff, four days until the beach.

Okay last words of the night. I've decided to follow the Andy Botwin sleeping method. Three pillows, one for my head, one between my legs, and one to cuddle with. Makes for some very comfortable sleeping.

Sink or swim?

You know you've somehow hit a new low in your life when your mother is sending you some random emails about the dangers of stress eating and weight management. Of course it could be just because we're about to go on vacation and she doesn't want to be embarrassed by how I look in a bathing suit or the fact that I'm living paycheck to paycheck and she's figured that I'm not eat properly. I'm going to say that it's a bit of both, my mother is a complex woman like that.

I've been awake now for a little more than 12 hours. Around 11:00am I was already so exhausted from being practice and getting over being sick that I wanted to kill something. I had to settle with trampling some grass on Claver Lawn. About as satisfying as you would think. Practice was good today, except for the whole ralphing thing, but that didn't hit until near the end so overall not a terribly big deal. Plus Brian was concerned and that's always nice. We actually had a scrimmage and practiced lines and tried to get as close to actual gameplay as possible. The team is going to a tournament in Maryland this weekend and they need to know what they're doing before they go. I can't be with them, I have to serve coffee to Mainliners all weekend. The only lame thing about practice was that Therese brought along some kid who ended up being more of a hindrance than a help. I think she wanted someone to help run drills in case we didn't have most of our coaches this morning.

I think Marg wants to go out tonight. I'll go out with her but I'm getting one ginger ale have a little girl chat and then I'm back to the apartment to write a quick paper. I need to get that and some creative writing done for tomorrow. Slowly I'm falling behind and this weekend is my very last chance to get caught up before it's too late. So either expect very little from me this weekend or a lot because I'll be procrastinating as much as possible. 

Today.

Blogging live from my journalism class. We're previewing the sound and video footage that we had to edit for an assignment and I've seen everything a billion times for the past couple of weeks and now I'm moving on to writing about something completely different. In fact I've just been freed from the class with a bunch of time left to go. Most people are leaving but I'm staying to write a little. It's still early in the day and this could easily be the high light of it, so I figure it's best to get something down now. It's like a writing prompt for later.

Big news! There is a very furry dog in class. It's part of a project for another section and it has been hanging out in the communications lab all morning. Nico the dog has been very calm and extremely fluffy, but there is still one girl who is veyr frightened of him. She's worries that the 8 month old dig with hip displasia is going to jump up and bite her. Silly girl.

Later in the day:
I burnt my wrist. Right on inside where the skin is soft. I've had a terrible time with burns lately, and this one is particularly excruciating. It's very sharp and rough but still has a dull achy undertone that will last a while. I'm out of anything to put on it too. I took an Advil but I'm going to have to tough it out for the rest of the day and I won't be home until later this evening. I almost don't want to have to go to other work and theology and just stay home with my burn, but there's nothing I can do in the apartment so I'm trudging back to school for other work and class. I have had some rather unfortunate luck with burns. A few months ago I had a giant square burn on my arm from when I slammed the oven door on my arm at work and then I got a long lesion looking burn on my stomach from dumping boiling water when I slipped my grip on a pot. I kept showing The Ballerina that one to cheer her up at work. It grosses us out but the fact that someone else's life sucks a little bit more than her's does at the moment made her a little bit happier. Poor Ballerina.

Update: Blister on my wrist ruptured. Painful and n'est bien pas.

I have to clean the kitchen when I get home tonight. I kind of wish I lived in a hole where I didn't have a kitchen and the rent is free. I've found that if I clean a room every other day or so I can keep the apartment relatively clean and by Friday I don't have to do as much as I usually do.

Later later in the day:
Oh Ginger Viking! How boring you are, but what an impeccable dresser. Seriously it bogles my mind how a divinity student can afford to dress like a J. Crew model. Must become a Princeton divinity student immediately. It's probably just the clothes,...and the beard,...and his height, but this guy can do no wrong in the looks and clothing departments. He only wears J. Crew, Banana, and Ralph and he wears them well. I love when guys dress like that. They look so dreamy and handsome.

Homework time! And I'm wearing a t-shirt!

It's dark out now:
Oh I've been struck by the stomach plague. Ugh, very draining and uncomfortable. I need someone to bring me Triscuts and ginger ale and a cool washcloth.

Double fuck! My computer charger broke!
Good news: Physics taught me how to get it to work again.
Bad news: I still have to buy a new one and my tummy still feels icky.