More Winter Break

All this stuff happened before the New Year. And to fulfill my New Years Resolution to stop worrying so much, I'm writing my Christmas post on January 3rd. See how I did that? Now my procrastination and failure to be timely seems rebellious instead of lazy.

Maybe.

Anyway, I ACTUALLY TOOK SOME PICTURES.

The day before Christmas eve, we bought our tree!

And by we, I mean Claire and Dad bought our tree. Probably the last one in Massachusetts. They got it from some guy selling out of his front yard, which is, you know, awesome.

On Christmas day, we went ice skating on the lake. I am pretty sure I live in someone else's sentimental memoir.

But of course, we had some reluctant following of safety precautions, because we're us.

Hahahahaha.

But it was pretty.

At some point, my family played Scrabble. Because that's what they do. I didn't play, because I hate losing and if I play scrabble with my family, there's just no way I'm winning. Ever. I am also five years old. Here's them laughing because they're actually ARGUING about the rules of Scrabble.

Please note the mechanical dancing Santa in the background.

And that's all I really have to say about that.

I love holidays.

The Decade: Yay for Time-Appropriate Nostalgia!

This decade has encompassed my entire transition from child to pseudo-student-adult. Regardless of my age I don't think I count as an adult until I pay my own utilities. Just saying.

Anyway, at the beginning of this decade I was in fourth grade. I spent a lot of time writing, reading, and daydreaming excessively. Indoor recesses were generally spent with my friend Sara, pretending we understood the rules to Jenga and drawing pictures together. In outdoor recesses, we joined my friends Anna and Kelsey and other friends to play heated battles of four-square. Kelsey usually won.

I rang in the New Year with all of them.

In fifth grade I was under the impression that we ruled the school. I was also under the impression that overalls were the best article of clothing on the planet second to clogs, so don't trust my judgement there.

In sixth grade I went to Sligo, spending most bus rides wishing I didn't. Early that September we were herded into the gym and told nothing while planes fell out of the sky. I sat behind a blonde girl in math class. We became friends and would later become senior swimming co-captains in high school. Funny how that works.

In seventh grade we were sent to Newport to relieve overcrowding, and everything got a little better. I got my first and only C because I refused to pay attention to things like actually turning my work in, in favor of going to the library every other day for another book to devour. I went from an hour and a half of basketball practice straight to two hours of swim practice, and I never got tired.

In eighth grade I did pretty much the same thing, just waiting for high school. Snipers forced some of my field hockey games to be cancelled because it was dangerous to be outside.

Starting high school I recoiled at being the bottom of the food chain. I dropped year-round swimming and tried new things. I survived the 200 IM and 500 freestyle every meet of my high school career. I played field hockey. I tried lacrosse and learned how to quit something. I even acted in a one-act play. During rehearsals for that One-Act, during which I had no voice, I got my acceptance to Ithaca College and danced around while silently cheering.

I also made some new friends. Two nights ago we made our annual trip to the Brookside lights and watched Titanic for the 1 millionth time. We provided our own commentary and ate freezer appetizers, bagel bites, and chocolate for our highly nutritious meal.

Freshman year of college I had to handle what I wasn't anymore. To the outside world, I wasn't a twin. I wasn't an athlete. I had to create an identity from scratch. I covered sports and wrote the same article over and over. I got on the radio and realized other mediums could be fun.

And now sophomore year. I'm a sister and a daughter and a friend. I'm a student and an athlete again as I head into the new decade. When this decade ends, I'll be 29, which is terrifying. I'll be paying my own utilities. So, I'm going to try to live in the moment.

Because 19 feels pretty good.

Fake Break Snapshots

It is break. I DID IT. And it feels amazing. Now, Ithaca College, if you could give me my grades please that would be fabulous.

I thought I'd provide you with a few snapshots for you to understand how great break has been in just a few short days. Not that I actually have pictures. I totally left my camera at home after Thanksgiving break, because I would do that. Guess I'll just have to write a thousand words or whatever.

Here's a non-existent photo of Ashley and me saying goodbye. I am probably inexplicably tearing up and envisioning a whole month without Glee dance parties and cheeseburger conversations. Oh, and there I am smothering her in a hug.

Here's one of me loading insane amounts of junk into my grandparents' pick-up truck. Note their stunned faces in reaction to the amount of stuff I thought I'd need for a month.

And then there's this great one of Amma, Pappa and I all dressed up, heading into the Buffalo Club. Now note MY stunned face at the amazing Christmas decorations. It is almost the same face I had when I saw the chocolate cake for dessert.

Here's one of these insanely flexible Christmas-ornament people from the Cirque de Soleil Christmas show. My face is a mix of wonder and fear, because these people are totally going to fall and die, I KNOW it, bodies don't bend like that, OH MY GOD DON'T DO THAT STOPPPP, oh....well, that was actually awesome! They survived! I am enjoying this.

Here is a picture of Amma and me bowling. That stank face I have on is merely a natural reaction to the fact that I was losing. Repeatedly. It was actually a blast though.

And then there's Amma, Pappa, and me at the Sabres/Penguins hockey game, only a few rows away from large men being thrown largely into the glass over and over and over. We are extremely happy because we got to eat cheeseburgers AND have awesome seats. I am wearing my hat because it's kind of cold but for the first time ever I am actually dressed appropriately.

I know, right?

Here's one a stranger took of me sprawled in the airport for forever, because DC decided to get buried under snow for forever. But I got there! And then waited for Claire for forever, with my Dad.

And in this one my Dad and I are sitting in the car and he is exasperated already and trying to convince me my eye isn't going to explode just because it's a little irritated. I'm not buying it.

Here's Claire and me with our girls in the back room with a fire. We are eating brownies and cool whip and watching and providing running commentary on this year's Lifetime Christmas movie. Which is totally not about Christmas at all. "What the hell!" asks Laura, "WHY IS IT JULY IN THIS MOVIE?"

And here I am, blogging in my bed, getting ready to head up to the great New England for Christmas.

If I don't blog before, have an amazing, happy, and healthy Christmas.

I refuse to complain any more about finals

I do.

Things are great. Ish. I mean, I really shouldn't complain.

I did go a little crazy this afternoon when the two fake-ly tanned orange girls next to me in the computer lab wouldn't stop squawking at each other in Jersey language. I even stopped working on my paper for a minute and tweeted about my anger. I then realized I for a split second I was that jerk in the computer lab on Twitter. Sigh.

I also finished News Writing and Reporting I today. Forever, WHICH IS AMAZING. The name was totally misleading because it should have been called "Fight With Irrelevant and Useless Technology to Say Something Kind of Sort of Coherent That You Could Have Just Written About in 500 Words and Been Done With It for a Semester...I." Obviously I am not in line with the times. Why did I sign up for this again? Oh right. To be a writer. To seek truth. Etc.

Sigh. Again.

Anyway, I emerged from the cave of News I after listening to 2.5 hours of presentations and found the ground entirely covered in snow! I was gleeful. I am not going to lie to you. There was more than a little frolicking occurring on my way back to my dorm.

Now I'm watching the snow fall and semi-writing my last paper. Then, tomorrow I'm buckling down for my last exam on Thursday.

Yes. Cue the final countdown music. Or some sort of dramatic montage of my past accomplishments. Fade out on a picture of me on top of some sort of mountain, gazing out heroically on a gorgeous future of couch-laying and wood stove fires.

So maybe my brain's a little fried.

Guess What I'm NOT Doing Right Now

Oh, that's right. I'm not writing papers.

You see, as I was reading through my sources for my next paper, I decided I did not feel like writing it at all.

In the past week I have presented on extraordinary rendition and written 10 pages about torture policy. Last night I started my 8 pager on hate crime legislation. Now I'm working on a final essay about witnessing injustices in the West Bank. THIS IS NOT CHRISTMAS.

My roommate and I were so fed up with the general crappiness of these past few weeks that we totally exchanged presents on like, Wednesday. We "wrapped them" in a sweatshirt and a towel. It was awesome. We also like to play music if we're not too focused, which means sometimes I was researching torture memorandums and she was studying fetal pig insides while listening to Christmas music. College, right?

But in general I think I have everything under control. I'm finished with classes. It's unreal because I'm pretty sure I just got here. Just like I just started crew. But somehow it ended up being a gigantic part of my life. One of the best parts, I'd say. It's certainly the sweatiest. Now we don't have practice January.

I have a week until I'm finished with this semester. It's go time. I'm locking down and finishing this stuff.

Switchcast and Other Stories

On Saturday morning I got my butt (and my poor, poor news director's) out of bed and went to film for my first news package ever. Not that I did any actual filming. We've discussed how much I fail at technology.

Anyway, I went to conduct the interviews. My third story option turned out to be the one in which a source would actually call me back. So we headed down to the Catholic Charities of Ithaca to talk about how they'd run out of children's clothing for their Share the Warmth drive in three days, and how the community had responded in such a big way. Hard hitting journalism. But it was a story, and I was happy with it. Plus, everyone there was super nice and accommodating, which is pretty much a breath of fresh air when you're a journalist.

When I got back to campus, I threw on comfy clothes, worked on papers and watched snow fall. Then I curled up with a book...well, essays debating neo-conservative foreign policy...and watched Florida lose the SEC championship. A quality day.

Sunday involved me sleeping in way past my alarm, mildly panicking, grabbing breakfast, and running over to Park to get started on my package. A senior journalism student (I know! Proof I'll learn useful things and be competent!) who is usually one of the anchors on Sunday showed me the basics of Final Cut Pro and helped me record voice overs on a linear editor. It was really cool, and basically a crash course in everything I'll learn in News II. Sometimes I think my parents are paying my tuition for me to learn everything in extracurriculars.

Sunday night I sat back and watched the absolute madness ensue. Really, Switchcast is always a mess, but I am pretty sure my package was the only thing that got onto air unscathed. It was absurdity. And of course, there are the pranks. One anchor actually had to read:

"Next on Newswatch 16, hamsters that could kill you and your cat wants some noms."

I have my suspicions about who wrote THAT one.

In other news, yesterday was my mother's birthday. She turned...like, 30, or something. It's an estimation. I tried to call her, but I guess she was too busy partying like the wild child she is to call me back. Or maybe I just called at too ungodly of an hour. I am a college student, and am not good at keeping track of these things.

I gotta say, I'm lucky that I've had her as a Mom for 19 years of her life and counting. She has handled all the crazy, all the late night stressors, all the homework, the sports events and college crises with grace. Not that those are entirely over, even though we're separated by a few states. Sorry about that, Mom. I love you. You are an awesome mom. I don't know how to say it in a non-cheesy way.

And...that's about it. Bring it, finals.

These Weeks are Seriously Depleting My Tums Supply

Yeah, and that's a problem, because I only eat the green ones. And they are in limited availability. In that, my Dad hates the green ones, and then gives them all to me. Because we are both five. Or maybe I'm just the immature ones, because at least he's willing to consume multiple flavors.

I never said I wasn't a psycho.

This week there is just SO MUCH DUE. And on top of that, I'm reporting for the first time for Newswatch, and I'm pretty sure no one is aware that I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing. And no one wants to be interviewed. Or be able to film said interview if it is acquired. And then there's no guarantee I'll be able to find transportation to said interview and filming location with my hundreds of dollars of filming equipment. Which I probably won't be able to check out anyway, because I'm a journalism major and they don't let us check out anything yet, except like a fancy audio recorder. Which is about all I can handle, so I suppose that policy is wise.

Let me go find some more antacids.

Anyway, SOMETHING will be going on the air Sunday, theoretically. Not that I know how to edit it, or put it together, or anything crucially necessary like that. No.

On top of that nightmare I have two final projects and a final paper to complete this weekend. Then there is everything next week due. Then finals.

But you know what? This is college. I'm lucky to be here. Before I know it I will be passed out on my couch with all these classes complete and with absolutely no work to do. With gumdrops dancing, etc.

So for the time being, I'm going to have to focus on whatever I have control over. I'm going to run down to the boathouse for practice and I am going to be able to think about nothing for two hours. And even though when you're on the erg it's harder to breathe, afterward it's much easier.

Oh, and there are always internet distractions to make me giggle.

Like this.