A Little Story About a Chair That's Actually NOT Being Replaced

Yesterday I was accompanying my mom on what I assumed to be a harmless Craigslist pick-up. (Yes, we are those people.)

I inquired as to what the item was, and discovered that was a giant "chair and a half." And where would this chair go?

IN MY SPACE.

I nearly fainted, because I have developed an undying devotion and love to this chair:

It looks like an ordinary lounger. It is not. I expressed my fear of losing my chair, and my heart-felt attachment to it, and my Dad comforted me, "Don't worry, we won't give away the chair, it's going in your first apartment." All I can say is, it better.

And Mom asked, "How can you have an undying love for this chair? We've only had it for like two years."

Which is true. But ever since we lugged it down the street, this chair and I were soul mates. I got ridiculously sick shortly after, and for some reason decided my bed could not compare in comfiness. So I slept on this chair for days. It was about 100 degrees, because it was summer and there is no AC in that room. But that is what I did. 

After that, anyone who tried to occupy it got death stares. The chair is the blanket to my Linus. I sat on it, sulked, and blew my nose a million times while Claire was shaking hands with Barack Obama. I laid on it is stunned disbelief while the Giants won the Super Bowl. I crammed five people on to it during swim team pasta parties. I fought off my Dad and sister on it while they tried to tickle me to death. It has allowed me to flop onto it without shattering beneath me. 

It's my chair, and even though it's kind of broken thanks to my abuse, it's here to stay. Now if only I could fit it in the dorm room.

Oh yeah. And I go back to college tomorrow. 

And I'm procrastinating. 

This worked. 

Winding Down

It's my last week in Maryland, and let me tell you, I am not looking forward to going back to a world that involves work. 

Even though I'm kind of there already, because I have a deadline Sunday. YAY. And, per usual, I had weird dreams about it. Last night I was panicking because I wasn't sure how I could get my interviews done if I went with my friend A on a spur of the moment trip to Australia. Which my Dad was driving us to. 

Obviously my life is incredibly stressful right now...in my dreams. In real life, I am enjoying doing very little. 

I've been busy saying goodbyes as pals return to school at different times. It's no fun, but I'm definitely looking forward to seeing my friends at Ithaca again. It's certainly been a while.  

Unfortunately this post can't be salvaged, it's doomed to being pointless and boring. Sorry!  

Otis

I am in Otis right now, basking in all the delights it offers.

Because I am here, I'm not so keen on the interent because I have way better things to do. Like lay on the couch and be amazed as Harlan Coben has made someone who the everyman thought to be dead reappear. And read as Carl Hiaasen kills another villain in a very strange way. Like, speared with a stuffed marlin head. OR, I can even do what I did today, which is sit on a rock and enjoy being in the sun.

Seriously. That is what I did. Thanks to my new puffy jacket supplied by the parents, I am impervious to the elements. That, and it was an amazing day outside.

I'm still on a college sleeping schedule, so at about ten last night I decided to watch the second half on Titanic. No one ever does this. Even on the DVD on the "select a scene" part, they separate the movie into the generally happy half, and the "Doom to the Lower Classes!" half. I have watched the first half ridiculous amounts of times. Ever the contrarian, yesterday I watched the part in which everything is very depressing and wet. It was depressing. But my life looked awesome in comparison.

So I'll finish out the week here, loving doing nothing. Then, Claire heads back on Friday, not to return home until May thanks to crew. I head back to the lovely D.C area to continue doing what I'm doing here and maybe apply to some internships. Such is the life.

OH: College break kick's high school break's butt.

You learn something new every day!

90th Post for 2009

2008 changed my life!

This is to be expected of course, but it's hard to believe that any year after it will be as crazy. In 2008 I completed IB, graduated high school, and started college. In between it all I met so many amazing people and had to say goodbye (and later, "Hello again!") to people that have had my back for my entire life. 

I captained a team, voted in an election, supported a candidate, got soaked at an outdoor concert, danced at prom, relaxed with friends, wrote essays, wrote applications, stalked the mailbox, made a decision, GRADUATED, coached a team, went to Otis, said goodbye, arrived at Ithaca College, and found another awesome home. 

So 2008 turned out to be pretty awesome. 

The events in 2009 aren't as likely to inspire greeting cards and ever-commercialized congratulations for completion of cultural rites-of-passage like those in 2008, but here I go! 

Also, can you believe that this is my 90th post? 

I certainly can't. 

Break Update

I realize I haven't been so great at updating this as I bask in the absolute nothingness that is collegiate winter break. 

Yesterday the whole family enjoyed one of my mom's christmas presents (from Dad), and we all headed over to the Kennedy Center for "The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber." In short, it was AWESOME. In getting there, I realized why I never, ever drive in D.C. We got totally lost. We always do, when trying to get to the Kennedy Center. It's tradition. Luckily we'll get another chance on New Years Day, trekking over there for Claire and my birthday present, a Legally Blonde show. Which I am totally up for. I'm in the process of renewing my passion for show tunes. 

Last night we also had dinner with some family friends, and took the traditional (yeah, we're all about that) walk around the neighborhood (despite one member being in crutches) in the freakish 60 degree weather we are having. 

Christmas was great. On Christmas Eve we watched the movie Elf so that the rest of the family could finally understand what Claire was saying all the time, as the Christmas spirit prompted her to quote it constantly. 

"SANTA?! I KNOW HIM!!!" and  "Smiling's my FAVORITE!"

On Christmas, not keeping in with the spirit at all, we watched people get their butts kicked in Casino Royal. It was awesome.

We are a family of complex tastes. 

Today I plan on working on my room so I can remind myself what my carpet looks like. I also hope to take in a few of the amazing games that are going to be on today. I'm so set.

I Love Being Home

I love being home. I have spent most of my time laying on the couch, sleeping, showering (it's so exciting when it's hot the whole time), hanging with Claire, and waltzing for short amounts of time outside so I can loudly proclaim, "It's not cold outside, I KNOW what real cold is NOW!"

So basically, I may be turning into my father. Except, my father willing goes out into the cold for activities such as skiing. I sprint through the parking lot and hide in the ski lodge for fear of momentary discomfort.

Tomorrow is IB alumni day, in which I will try to portray the awesomeness that is Ithaca College (and how well IB prepared me for it) to a bunch of high school seniors who neither care nor want to be at school the day before break. Hey, I had to sit through it, senioritis and all. They will listen. I'm a big kid now, I know how to be persuasive.

And now, because of said Alumni Day I have to get up at an inhumane hour, an hour at which no college student ever sees the light of day.

I am also going to sleep.

Ahhhhhh....break.

I don't even mind that I spent 9 hours in a snow storm getting here! That's how great it is!

I'M DONE

I just turned in my final intro to journalism article. It felt blissful, if a little anti-climactic. I think the article turned out well. I learned so much doing it. Had I known what I know now about how to collect and organize stats and information, I would have saved hours. But that's what I'm in the class for. 

All I have for the rest of today is attending a wrap-up class for Mass Media, in which my friends Malti, Ashley, Steph and I have decided to have a picnic. I'm not sure how that will go over with Professor Lustyik, but I'm pretty sure she won't notice and/or care. 

Back in IB my group of friends determined a system to determine stress levels based on what music you are listening to. From least to greatest, it pretty much went: punk rock -> 90s pop -> country music -> musical soundtracks (enter freak-out mode). 

I guess I am feeling residual stress, because the Dixie Chicks are not coming off my iPod today. And I feel totally fine. 

What a weird week. I can't wait to just be home.