How great is that!?

Yesterday I heard someone truthfully say that he didn't think that things could have gotten any better in his life and then they did. I found that inspiring.

the beginning of the end

Yesterday morning I awoke with one thought in my mind which was that it was the last "first" day of school of my life. It became undeniable that my college career is coming to an end. As a second semester senior it is time that I make this realization, however hard it may be. But it was difficult walking into Statler Hall, knowing that the times I will be doing so are limited. It was with a heavy heart that I walked past all my favorite places, Mac's Grab and Go, The housekeeping window, and it was with great sadness that I set foot in the wrap line for what I began to view as my last time. My mind was a whirlwind of my future years. How soon it will be that it will be socially unacceptable to attend Karaoke nights every Monday. And all too quickly my earliest day will not begin at 12:20 pm. Chinese food at 3 am will be considered irrational and unhealthy rather than irresistable and delicious. I won't be able to watch 18 hour of tv in 2 days. It is most likely that by next year people will realize my hair is unbrushed and not "curly". In a few short months, my life will be nothing other than sweater sets, balanced meals, and AA. But then as I reached the counter to pay for my gluttony I had another realization. After rather quickly reviewing my college years I determined that perhaps in the near future, I can look forward to a few things and if I am lucky these things will outweigh those that I'll miss. For one thing I will be living in a fabulous apartment with a fabulous roomate and hopefully sleeping in something other than a twin extra long. I will also most likely be earning a steady paycheck which from what I hear is something of a miracle. Also there is the sweater set aspect. Although I gave them a slighlty negative connotation moments ago, the truth of the matter is I do quite enjoy a good sweater set. In addition to these perks I am hoping that out in the real world neither of the following phrases will be directed towards me ... "Step out my crib...bitch" or "I will house you" ( I am not sure what they mean either, even after extensive research on the issue) I am also excited about the large decrease in social settings which include shoving, screaming, and hair pulling, in order to obtain a beverage that will most likely be spilled, rufied, or stolen. And I am also assuming that growing up includes less hair holding and vomit clean up! There are many more advantages I am sure, but the point is change isn't always bad. So my days will soon be more structured, and filled with reason, rather than meandering, but that is good. Although I will miss my Ruloff's, and lazy Sundays filled with brunches that last hours. I will miss the classesI have taken, especially those that include complimentary beverages and nibblies. And most of all I will miss the friends that I have made, those that don't run away screaming at my bizarre antics, and the ones I have traded notes with and poured blood, sweat, and tears into assignments with. I will miss my beautiful campus and all of the memories I have created here. But, as someone told me a few weeks ago "Isn't it great that you had that much fun?". Yeah I think it is pretty great, and I can't wait to have even more fun in the upcoming months, and then to do a whole lot of growing up in the months after that.

warm fuzzies

Yesterday the best news story ever was brought to my attention. It was this: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10903211/
In case you do not feel the need to read this particular tale, let me fill you in. It describes the friendship that is forged when a little hamster is fed to a snake at the zoo. Instead of eating the hamster, the snake befriends it. Now they spend all day together in the snake cage, talking, napping, and sometimes frollicking. I am basically in love with this story. I wonder what the snake was thinking when he rejected his fuel in order to form a friendship with his sustenance. Isn't it a basic survival instinct to keep your body running? Instead he ignored logic and did something highly emotional, he made a friend. Sometimes people claim that animals have no emotion or feeling, which at times I may be inclined to believe. That is why this story is so great. Our little snake ignored all that was expected of him and defied the laws of the jungle, he befriended his prey. This story basically warmed my heart, it made me want to make a new friend, even if it just may be hamster.

Update

For those interested, my brother and future sister in law have changed the address of their website to the following: http://mysite.verizon.net/vzenw0la/wedding/index.html
In even more exciting news (maybe to me), at this very moment, there is a bridesmaid's dress sitting in my closet!!! It is featured on the upper left corner of this post.

Tunes

Recently I was reminiscing about a time when I met a person who never listened to music. I remember it well. She said " I don't listen to music. It distracts me, I never had tv and I've never purchased a cd." I remember looking at her in horror, as did the other member of our conversation. He replied that he never was without music, carrying a portable digitial music device when walking, listening to cds in the car, and immediately turning on a stereo when entering his room. At the time I enjoyed a slightly altered version of this routine. We were both disgusted that a person would claim to dislike music. We quized her only to find out she truly had no knowledge of pop culture, nor any well known classics that any music listener would posess. At this point I began to feel a strong sense of sadness. I wonder where my life would be if I had no music. As a youngster music provided me a way to feel connected to those older than me. I remember the New Kid's On the Block buttons my sister owned and how cool I thought they were and I remember the feeling of sheer joy I experienced when I was allowed to attend a concert with her (and my dad...poor dad). Music allowed a sense of celebration, Christmas was never Christmas without the Raffi record on the record player and then later without my favorite Willy Nelson on the tape dec. And in harder times music provided a sense of sanctuary. I never truly connected with music until I discovered the Beatles in the 6th grade. Its no secret that at this point in my life I was basically a giant, new at school, and enormously socially awkward. Prior to now I was used to being the class genius, but after moving to a town of child prodigies, that indentity was already taken. I felt pretty much like a freakshow. But just as I was about to sign up for the circus I discovered Abbey Road. I remember the day well, it was after yet another horrifying day at Bedford Middle School ( I swear I am homeschooling my children so that they are not exposed to other Middle school Children... maybe they can do 5th grade, but that is it! ) I remember glancing at my father's record player and then shuffling over. Looking at all the records was fun, they were so big and mysterious, they seemed to hold so much history. As "Come Together" began I was hooked. I had never experienced that feeling in the pit of my stomach that told me I was listening to something great. I am not a religious person, never had I felt something as powerful as this in all my sundays in Mass, but it almost seemed a higher spirit was telling me "Heyyy kid, everything is going to be fine". Music is therapeutic, it helps those that are lonely and confused, it can be used to help people recover from physical ailments. Music allows for some to form a whole identity based on a specific genre. I for one was never willing to sign over the whole of who I am to music, but I do understand its amazing power. The feeling when hearing a song or perhaps a whole album, first of sheer intrigue, then bliss, then the insane jealousy that I myself did not create it, and the then the incredible contentment that I can listen to it on repeat for at least a week. Music makes everything better. Commuting was made bearable this summer by the addition of an ipod. A walk through midtown is no longer hectic for me, but soothing as I listen to Itzhak Perlman or Mozart. A party is no party without blasting tunes. Nothing says "aww remember that night at x location" like the song you were listening to at the time. I wonder where the music-less lost soul is that spurred my meditation on the topic. I hope she was inspired by our reaction to her situation to perhaps purchase a few tunes, maybe just turn on the radio once or twice. But hopefully in some form music has entered her life because I truly cannot imagine a life silenced by the lack of music.

I cannot get enough

I had the pleasure of watching Saturday Night Live a few short Saturdays ago. After an hour of not on laugh, barely even a smile at lame attempt after lame attempt to parody life in our country this little flower blossomed in front of me almost in slow motion. Every one truly needs to enjoy this. God bless this Andy Samberg and Chris Parnell. You have given me the gift that nevery stops giving, the gift of laughter. http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=zLElfJ9YCh0