To anyone who is on this page and expecting something new, I am sorry. I am no longer regularly updating this blog. When/If I decide to take up blogging again (which probably won't be until I go on another adventure/trip or something different then daily life) I will make sure you to let you know.

Thank you for reading!
 Urban Outland

I GUESS IT MUST BE FINALS WEEKEND

Since 2pm yesterday I have spent a total of 15.5 hours in the library and 8.5 hours sleeping. So if you're good at elementary math (which can be surprisingly tricky), you've had figured out that is 24 out of 27.5 hours. Except it was Day Lights Saving time last night so the math just got slightly harder with subtracting an hour from the total time (I've already calculated my sleeping time correctly): 24 out of 26.5 hours.

Three other things must be said along with the above math:

1. I'm thinking I'll be here at the library another 3-4 hours this evening.

2. I think literally everyone I know who lives within a 10 mile radius is also here. Everywhere I go I find tables of teammates, housemates, classmates, etc. And literally every table/cubicle/chair/flat surface is occupied by someone.

3. Probably 87.1% of the hours I've spent in the library have been very productive. So you math geniuses out there - how many of those 15.5 hours have been productive?

THIS MADE ME SMILE

Maps! but not really.

FROM MY PARENTS

MOTHER:
A long time ago, when my mother still did my laundry, she got on my case for leaving my socks all bunched up when I tossed them in the laundry basket. "They don't get cleaned when they're all balled up!"

This morning when I was doing my laundry, I was disappointed in myself for not un-bunching my socks before tossing them in the laundry basket.

DAD:
Seeing my father awake past 10pm happens maybe once or twice a year. Also, never in my memory have I woken up before my dad in the morning. He likes his sleep and likes it early.

Last night, I closed down the school library at 10pm, but because I was stupid and had a cup of caffeinated coffee at 3pm I was wired. (I never have caffeine because it makes me super jittery and energized for hours and hours, but I was desperate. I had been at the library for a couple of hours and still had many more in front of me.) So after closing down the library, I went over to visit my brother and the freshmen rowers who all live in the same dorms. I didn't make it to bed until a little past midnight. This is early for most college students on Saturday night, but most college students don't go to bed at 9:30 most nights.  This morning at 6:30am bing! wide awake.

I seem to have inherited my dad's sleeping habits.

MOOING FISH

This reminds of the cows in Chicago. And makes me want to go to Australia.

"GO" CAROLE

I'm spending my Friday evening jamming to Carole King as I write a paper on the Olympic Visa commercials and how they are ridiculous. Dan Jansen did NOT use his Visa card to "go" to the Olympics. Amelia is with me writing a poli sci paper. Her mother did NOT listen to Carole King while she was growing up. This makes me sad because Carole was such a major part of my childhood. Many a memory has Carole playing in the background, especially memories with my Mother.

What are you doing on your Friday evening?

APOLLO FLYS TO IRAQ

Update so my mother doesn't feel too lost without all her chickies at home and so TT doesn't show me up.

I've been doing a lot of reading lately. Reading that is not school work. It's very addicting, only having to read what I want to. I'm on the fifth and final book of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. These books are written for kids but are great for big kids like me too. They recently made a movie out of the first one (I haven't seen it yet). I love these books! They remind me a little of Harry Potter, but not quite at that level. (I'm not sure any book will ever been on the same level of Harry Potter but anyways). A lovable, trying to do right hero with a prophecy foisted on him to save the world. All the greek gods are in the stories which makes me wish I had taken that Classical Mythology class this term. But the gods keep showing up in my dreams: Apollo, Hera...even in my dreams I know this is odd.

You know the question: If you could eat lunch with anyone dead, alive, real, fake, etc who would it be? I think I'd pick Athena. She's my favorite; she's wicked smart.

Besides Percy Jackson I just picked up "Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott again. If you have not read this book, DO! It's is hilarious! I was reading it in the middle of class (we were on a break) and I kept bursting out laughing. Of course my friend who normally sits with me was traveling with the softball team so I was all alone laughing sporadically. Let's just say no one was sitting near me. Sad. I had just showered too.

I also read Anderson Cooper's memoir. Whoa! Talk about travels and seeing all sides of humanity. Fascinating. I want to meet him. Sit down just talk to him. Hear his stories.

IN MY NOTEBOOK

My shorthand for my notes is getting slightly ridiculous:

"DNer in GB A+C mov prodc w/ Cman, 0 mach"

Translation:
"Designers in Great Britain's Arts and Crafts movement produced with craftsman not machines."

Of course thinking about this now, I could have just written: ":) craftsman, :( machines" and skipped all the abbreviations and initials etc. It was already under the notes section "Great Britain Arts and Crafts Movement"

Another example of why no one else will understand my notes besides me:

"2 econ, airplane, classic smith, CA? => O/deve"

Translation:
"Dual Economy Theory, Growth Stage Theory (Rostow and his airplane example), Classical Economics (Adam Smith), or Export Led/Comparative Advantage Theory leads to globalization/development. Which one?"

At least I can understand it. Thats the important part.
I also use symbols all over my notes. Basic symbols include: delta for change, recycle arrows for change, yoshi egg for world/global, crossed arrows for different, etc.

MARX AND MY BROTHER

GregUr and I are taking a class together this term.
This class is currently going on. I'm in my room at home. GregUr is at the class.
This will not be a regular occurrence. Don't worry.
I figured out I was taking this course all of half an hour ago when I tried to contact GregUr to come fix my computer and he couldn't come because he was in class like a good student. I then decided I didn't want to take my Wednesday night class because writing a paper a week for a class that doesn't really count (Women Studies: Women in Sport) anyways did not sound enjoyable. And instead switched to Tuesday night class (Film Studies/History of Films) that GregUr is in. This class is waaay less work. But at the same time equally interesting.
Now all you people out there that think I'm now slacking off at school let me reassure I am NOT. Yesterday I bought 11 textbook for my four other classes. Yep, you read that correctly - 11. The scary part is that all but two of those I'll actually have to read if I want to get some what decent grades this term. The other two I can just skim. Not going to lie - some of the textbooks I'm super excited about reading. Four of them are collections of primary sources for my History of World class (contemporary to modern time periods. as in the 20th century) and my Geography of International Development and Globalization class. AND I get to read Marx's Communist Manifesto. How cool?!?! Very cool!

Ok, I'm stopping there. My roommate, Amelia (who's a history major) and I just had a major nerd freak out moment over my books. (I'm assuming TT was going to make some snarky comment about Marx, but I'll have you know Amelia is equally excited about reading Marx).