construction problem

This is an email I sent to my friend sam about the construction problem in my neighborhood:

"First the construction wasn't too big a deal. The trams dont run normally which is a pain if I want to get to prague 6. When I want to cross the street to my local park, which I want to do frequently, there are no crosswalks anymore so I have to cross through cars and trams which usually is a little dangerous. All problems but managable. The next thing that happened was that wooden scaffolding went up around buildings in my nieghborhood. I'm still not concerned. Then someone tells me the scaffolding is to protect pedestrains on the sidewalk in case things fall of the buildings due to the construction. It seemed silly at the time.

Next you should know they are building a tunnel. From what I can tell they are now working on the part of the tunnel directly under my building. For me this means, that 3 to 4 times a day I experience a medium sized earthquake. Have you ever experience an earthquake? Being from california I am very familiar with earthquakes and they are terrifying. (http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=1989%20earthquake&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi). These construction earthquakes I am experiencing play to me deep seated fear of earthquakes from home.

You should also know I have zero confidence that my building is structurally sound. In addition to the wooden scaffolding that is around it, I once got trapped in the elevator. Basically, the trust between me and the building has been lost.

The shaking has gotten more and more as the construction has gotten closer. I am hoping soon it will start to pass us and my day to day life will get less and less scary.

Also, my grammar tenses got muddled in this email. Sorry if it is confusing / incorrect."

Recently the construction has gotten slightly less terrifying. Also I learned there is a petition going around the neighborhood about it.

Comps diversions

While I compsed I played a lot of games on sporcle.com. My favorite is the countries of the world game. You have to name all 195 countries of the world in 15 minutes. So far the best I've done is 194, but lately I've been missing two or three countries. Once I get the countries, I'm moving onto capitals. Woo hoo!

Anyways I was browsing on the site and I saw a Same but Different name game: http://www.sporcle.com/games/JayHankEdLyonJr/namegame

I haven't played it, but it looks fun. And also difficult.

more news

1. I have been taking a photo lesson and a ceramics class. Both have been very fun. I made my first print in the darkroom yesterday. At ceramics I have made: a butter dish, six small sheep, a dish that looks like a chicken, two cups and a sugar bowl.

2. We are having a Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. I have not seen pumpkin or sweet potatoes in the Czech Republic, but we will have turkey, cranberries and mashed potatoes.

3. I have recently been watching more popular czech movies. I saw Zelary which is very very sad, Kolya which is mostly funny but also sad, and Vrchní, prchni! which is very funny and about a fake waiter.

some news

1. I'm done with classes and am now working 100% of the time on an independent project. I am making a book of drawings of buildings. So far so good.

2. This morning a filling fell out, so this afternoon I will be experiencing the Czech health care system. The dentist is not for me: fear of needles + small mouth + bad noises.

3. My host mother made me a coat. It looks very snappy.

Lil update

My comps is due in 10 days, so I am a little bit stressed out. That is a total lie, because I am a lot stressed out.

The upshot is that on the last day of classes, I'll be done with it. Maybe. At last for this term.

recent news

1. So much snow in Slovakia

2. Sheep in Slovakia

3. This is the park on the other side of my house. It is great there right now. I felt so happy after a walk there.

4. They are building a tunnel (for a new metro?) near my house. They have put scaffolding up around the buildings so if things fall off due to the construction it wont hurt people.

5. One of my favorite things about Prague is finding new cobblestone designs. This is a pretty good one:

6. This is me in cafe in a scarf I bought in Poland

Embroidery

Lately I too have gotten really into embroidery. It started with an article from "Bust" magazine, and then I just went crazy from there. I embroidered my initials on my GSC jacket, and I am in the process of embroidering a whole bunch of other things (Elvis, a skeleton, peas, a bug-person playing a trumpet, etc.). Here is a scan of the first pillow case I made:

And here are some photos of the second pillow case I am making which will say "ten more minutes" in a font that looks way cooler than it does in thes photo:

Me and Megan were also just having a really fun time taking these. WA house forever!

Update: here are two pictures of the text I plan to embroider on two other pillow cases:

Megan and I are obsessed with this tea:


It is super delicious and has rose hips AND petals. It tastes like heaven, actually.

Here are some photos of a tiny metal book I made:


I do realize that this is not the best picture. My actual camera is in a box at 4th and College (where I lived this summer) that I have yet to pick up. I fabricated my own hinge, which was REALLY difficult. A Book is imprinted on the front cover. The "text block" bit is made of brass so it looks like the pages are gilded. There are decorative brass rivets on the cover too. I made a few rings this week, which I will definitely take photos of and post here. And here is my desk in the metals studio!


Earlier this week I cleared it off and under all that junk I found:

• 3 flat files
• 2 round files
• 1 large file
• 4 pieces of sandpaper
• 3 saw frames
• like 40 broken saw blades
• three pairs of pliers (my favorite are the round tip)
• 1 rawhide hammer
• 1 planishing hammer

6 photos

1. I recently went the the decorative arts museum and saw this cubist clock. You can also see the top half of my room is oddly shaded.

2. This picture also shows the weird thing that is going on with lighting in my room. My light bulb went out and I was asked if I wanted a lot of light or a little light. I said a lot of light but because the the lampshade is metal mesh, the top half of my room is shadowed.

3. We don't have plastic bags at my house so when I pack my lunch I wrap everything in tinfoil

4. This is the building I live in. My apartment is in the second column from the left. This photo makes it look like I live in the middle of nowhere, but really I just live next to a park.

5. We went on an excursion outside of Prague. This is Cesky Krumlov:

6. On that excursion, I also spent three days weaving. Now I'm working on embroidering my weaving.

DATE

So last week I asked a boy (with whom I have been hangin' regularly) on a date via campus mail note.
And his response:

where I live

This is my window:

This is my desk:

more problems

there are a lot barriers between me and blog posting these days:

I was away over the weekend and will be away all next week

I don't have internet at home

my computer is doing poorly

I will try to add more in the near future

In the mean time here is a picture of me and the honey alcohol I won

DEAR LORD

This week has been trying. Basically this is the 9th consecutive day of working 8 hours or more per day. I am anxious for school to start because maybe then I'll finally get some rest. Right now I am more tired than I have ever been at the end of a term.

This week has been really great in a lot of ways though. Not On Our Campus went really well, and the discussion after was also really great. I have gotten SO MUCH positive feedback from peer leaders all over the place, both on the professionalism, intensity, and effectiveness of the presentation and the facilitated small group discussions after. That means so much to me and all of the GSCAs. Stand In It With Me, the diversity program, also sparked a lot of really productive conversation among students and peer leaders alike. It was something that the new students are so privileged they get to hear and discuss right off the bat. Frankly a lot of the peer leaders needed it too. There was some really heated discussion and a lot of people were really uncomfortable, which was, in this instance, a really good thing. I feel totally drained, but also really satisfied with this week.

I am considering quitting the Cave. If I can get more hours in the GSC, I want that. I am tired of Richard being a godawful manager and I am tired of working with people who have never worked food service before (no offense Shannon). I just don't want to deal with Richard (as a manager) and really want to spend more time in the GSC with my staff. Side note: Kaaren bought us a new fridge today. We can put all of our fun LGBT food in our fun new LGBT fridge.

Things I plan to post about in the near future:

• first day of school
• revamping the GSC library
• how much I love OIL
• Thunderheist
  

baby sized update

OK, Prague news:

1. Actually every building in Prague is beautiful

2. I live right next to one huge park and two blocks from a second huge park

3. I am typing on a czech keyboard. The z and y are switched plus you access the numbers with shift plus other confusing things.

4. For lunch today my host mother (zouzana) made apricot cake and plum cake

5. I am really good at counting in czech, not very good at saying other things

6. This evening I went to a hat fashion show and won a bottle of honey alcohol in a raffle

7. Everything is going pretty great

From Frankfurt Airport

On my previous two flights I saw:

2 epidodes of mad men

Duplicity

I love you man

17 again

One episode of how I met your mother

half an episode of 30 Rock

I also wrote a couple letters and read some of my Paul Newman biography

best thing so far

me & my unlimited transit pass.

Great News!!

I talked to Kaaren Williamsen on Wednesday. The GSC found extra student work dollars and I was hired to work there 4 hours a week! Training starts the day I get back (September 3) except I won't be home in time to start then. Sad face. But I got a reader from Kaaren full of really interesting articles to read before training on Friday. I already got started on the train yesterday (but more on that later).

This is especially great news because had I been offered the job in the spring, I wouldn't have been able to keep my job at the Cave. But now I can do both! I can do it all! This is wonderful and I am ecstatic. Here is a photo of me doing a heel click of joy:

more

ceramic bowl as a gift

plug adaptor

everything

complete list of everything I am bringing:

light black cardigan

small red purse

blue (hounds tooth?) triple scrunch v

heavy golden orange cardigan

black eyeliner

4 shades of brown eye shadow

razor with one replacement blade

toothbrush with cover

light meter

nikon camera

forrest green t-shirt

purple gray v neck

off white v neck

grey oakland shirt (made by Dan)

graphic tee type oakland shirt

yellow pants

tan pants

purple corduroys

black amoeba shirt

navy tank top

sweat pants

grey gloves

green hat

red scarf

blue swimsuit

cut yr losses shirt

grey waffle long sleeve

dan's blue green plaid shirt

four bars scharffen berger chocolate: semisweet, mocha, nibby, extra rich milk

large canvas tote bag

3 rolls of film

moccasins

small pack q tips

water colors

palette

long underwear bottoms

8 underwear: grey (2), blue and yellow stripes, white, brown pattern, blue floral, blue and pink stripes, pink stripes

8 socks: pink flowers, navy, coral, white, boats, white and blue

3 pairs wool socks

sea foam bra

pink sports bra

computer & power cord

green bra

brown boots Jhanna gave me

neck travel pocket & small money travel pocket (just made)

vitamin D

gum, 2 chewy bars, other snacks

"How Does it Work?" by Richard M. Koff

6 005 micron pens

1 01 micron pen

3 black pens

3 black ball points

2 mechanical pencils

brush

fountain pen

water holder

accordion book

square sketchbook

water bottle

ipod

headphones

cord

digital camera, charger, card reader

2 photocopies of my passport and visa

immunization record

letter notebook

forms to send to dan

photo of dan

envelopes

post its

address book

mint tooth paste

citrus body wash

pomegranate chapstick

jasmine perfume

baby shampoo

grapefruit face wash

two small sunscreens

black ink

new cell phone

charger

blue winter jacket

grey sweatshirt

journal

three baby journals

planner

small film camera

some pads

some tampons

wallet

travel alarm clock

I'll add the last few things when I pack them tomorrow

new new hair

After I washed it, it looks more like my regular hair

new hair new shoes

(maybe it's hard to tell, but some parts are the same color as my pants)

(pre-washing)

Also, I stayed at Dan's grandparents last night because he left from there at four this morning and I wanted to maximize time together. His grandmother gave me so many supplies/treats:

5 chewy bars (1 peanut butter, 4 chocolate chip)

1 spearmint orbit gum (side note: I recently bought "fabulous fruitini" orbit- bad choice)

2 things of orange tic tacs

2 cups of plain yogurt with plastic fork

1 lock for my suit case (neon yellow!)

1 tooth brush cover

1 bottle of spray to prevent bed bugs (useful? maybe)

color

Yellow? Maybe? also we could alternate.

worry worry worry

Hello Allie,

This is exciting.

OK, here are some lists I made recently.

potential problems:

10 days until I leave and still no visa

My big toe on my left foot has been mildly numb for the last five or six days

There are only six other people on my program, all girls

Dan leaves in three days

As usual, I am worried about not having proper foot wear

reasons to go to Prague:

Life isn't only about being happy and having fun

This is the last time I have to do something like this

mail art

Productivity (make art not friends)

Prague is a great place

learn to use a darkroom

We'll see

The best thing about countdowns is they can only get smaller. I like that. No matter how huge they start (this one surprised me by not being as long as I thought -- clearly why I am not going to Budapest for math) they can only decrease as the beloved event draws nearer.

Peacin' Out

So many people are leaving already! Johns (who is blogging with Alex at Marx Engels and the Merlion) already left for Singapore, and I said goodbye to Becky this morning. It's very stressful. One way I'm going to look at it is that I'll have far fewer distractions and will therefore focus necessary attention on my comps. Is that just wishful thinking?


Also this is a TERRIBLE version of this song. I hate John Denver's versions of this song and love Peter, Paul and Mary, which is ironic because I think he wrote the song. Also the original title was "Oh Babe I Hate to Go." Gross! Unfortunately, this was the only moderately ok one on youtube. It's funny though because the video and audio aren't in sync.

Same but different

Can you even tell these apart? I sure can't. They're practically carbon copies.