End of Semester Send-off

Tuesday: 12/16/03

Finally I can hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring-ting-tingling too. I pulled my third all-nighter last night in less than a week. I had two consecutive all-nighters last week, no good. Now I need to be doing a take-home final due by noon tomorrow. But, I'm not. All I know is that for the first time I have realized that it's the holiday season and school will be over and I'll be home soon. YAY!!! I can't wait for it all to work out. So those are my thoughts at the moment. My mom and sister are going to be visiting me on Friday and Vandy's basketball teams are both ranked 26. Here is a picture of what I was doing at 5am last night/this morning when I didn't want to work on my project anymore. No digital enhancements either!!

Vandy Plays Basketball?

Sunday: 12/7/03

Thank goodness for basketball season! Believe it or not, we actually have pretty good basketball teams and neither the men or women have lost yet. I right now am trying to put off being productive on this HUGE research paper for my American theater class (worth 30% of my grade) due on Wednesday. I also have this memoir multigenre all-about-culture project due on Tuesday (worth 20% of my grade in two different classes) and an essay in my Spanish class for Wednesday to boot! Then my first final is on Friday and I have my second on Saturday. And there are plenty of other unmentioned assignments for the week. My last final is on the 19th and I'll be coming home on the 21st after I visit with my mom and my sister some. I'm about halfway done with all the paperwork for studying abroad. I never realized that it was so hard to leave the country.
· Oh! As for vacation news, I had a very happy and unproductive break which was good. I visited a bunch of people, but some I did not! (so I will have to make up for that over the winter). I also ate and slept which was a nice change. My NCTE presentation in S.F. went really really well. Lots of people came up to me afterwords talking about how impressed they were. These people included some of my old high school English teachers (Roberts and Haines). I also walked away with a ton of books (many of which were free). As you probably know, the only thing I would ever need to receive for birthdays and stuff would be books (particularly kids books), so I was very excited about that. Plus, I got to meet a bunch of authors like Pam Muñoz Ryan (who I did the presentation with) and Avi (not the one that oggled the avocado). I can't wait to be home again soon!!!!!!

I'm hungry

Monday: 11/17/03

First of all, I went to a Thanksgiving dinner party last night and I can't wait for Thanksgiving!!! I'm literally about to short circuit my laptop right now from the saliva I'm producing just thinking about it. Aside from this, just the same old craziness. There is literally no chance of me getting any sleep tonight. But WHO CARES!!! I'm going home soon!!! Just need to make it to Thursday. I also wanted to share some VANDY PLAY PICS from the shows I was involved with this semester. Even a few pics of me! Check for more pics at the Vandy Theatre website. I worked on Bedroom Farce and As You Like It. Enjoy!!

Tony Kushner

Wednesday: 11/12/03

I just spent the evening with a very famous playwright...Tony Kushner!!! He is a Pulitzer Prize winner for Angels in America which I loved and am so excited to see a film version on HBO soon. Anyways, it was really cool cuz I got to ask him some questions (mostly about his writing techniques) during a question and answer session with all the theater majors. Then I talked with him after the session and got him to sign my Angels in America copy. Then later I went to a lecture he gave to the public and I found out that he is very politic minded and (understandably) has a great disdain for President Bush. A great evening. And I also got word that my presentation for the NCTE conference may very well be turned into an article for a literary journal!! I could be a published scholar!! If only Mr. K could see me now. ;-)

Haunted Hayride

10/25/03 Saturday

Well, one thing I can say for sure is that break is over. I guess there's only a month till I head home for Thanksgiving, but there is so much to do between now and then!! Nevertheless, my vacation was good. I went on this really cool Haunted Hayride and carved pumpkins and I even got to drive!! But, I also caught a cold. It was nice seeing my family though and reaffirming my great uncleship. This week was very nice seeing as it was so short. Plus, I got a bunch of A's on various assignments in my classes and my grades could definitely use more of those. I also went to a friends engagement party (which is a weird concept) and carved some pumpkins at another friend's house. All and all, pretty good. And next week, I have significantly less homework than usual (but keep that on the down low). I hope everyone is getting set for Halloween (I'm looking forward to doing some cool Halloween activities with my 5th graders) and enjoy an extra hour of sleep tonight!!

New Nephew!!

10/13/03 Monday

Well, the play is over... YAY!! I've got more time now, unfortunately I should be using it to catch up on work. Screw work of all sorts, I say. Then I quickly slap myself, rub my wound, and get back to business. I pulled my first all nighter last week and then proceeded to do a performance that night. All the performances went well. A lot of people came and all the cast and crew were so cool and tons of people gave me complements. So, it was a great experience. It just didn't jive with all these classes that are kicking my butt. I think I may have finally met my match. But "Never give up, never surrender" as they say in Galaxy Quest, and I shan't. On Friday I start my fall break (I'm glad we have it, but it does seem a little ridiculous) and I'll be heading up to visit my sister till Tuesday. So that will be great, I'm just not looking forward to sitting next to Billy Bob on a 6+ hour bus ride. Anyways, I wanted to share with everyone two things. One: NEW NEPHEW------ Brian Tyler Espi was born on October 6th (9lbs 11oz). Is 9 11 symbolic? Also, I wanted to share the lyrics to a wonderful little ditty that our production added to Shakespeare's As You Like It. Feel free to call me if you'd like me to tell you how it is sung.

Penis Envy

Performed by Uncle Bonsai

Transcribed from their album "A lonely grain of corn"

Italics were used in the play

If I had a penis I'd wear it outside,

In cafes and car lots, with pomp and with pride.

If I had a penis I'd pamper it proper

I'd stay in the tub and use me as the stopper.

If I had a penis I'd take it to parties

Stretch it and stroke it and shove it at smarties.

I'd take it to pet shows and teach it to stay.

I'd stuff it in turkeys on Thanksgiving Day.

I'd rival my buddies in sportscars and stick shifts.

I'd shower my spire with girlies and gifts.

I'd peek around corners; I'd aim at my toilet;

I'd poke it at foreigners and soap it and oil it.

If I had a penis I'd run to my mother;

Comb out the hair and compare it to brother.

I'd lance her, I'd knight her, my hands would indulge...

Pants would seem tighter and buckle and bulge.

Chorus:

A penis to plunder, a penis to push

Cause one in the hand is worth one in the bush.

A penis to love me, a penis to share,

To pick up and play with when nobody's there.

I'd sit like a guy, I'd straddle the chair.

I'd play with my fly, albeit with care.

I'd dip it in chocolate, I'd stick it in sockets,

I'd stroll to the movies with hands deep in pockets.

I'd stick it in vacuums on vacant verandas

Gas-guzzling Volvos, and poodles and pandas

And puddles and drainpipes and doggies and ditches??

and bottles and ??? and bitches

Zucchinis and zebras, potatoes, tom-ah-toes

And pineapples, pumpkins, and gulches and grottoes

And melons and marshmallows, gloves and gorrillas

Slurpees and slippers, Chinooks and chinchillas...

Chorus

If I had a penis, I'd climb every mountain,

I'd force it on females, I'd pee like a fountain.

If I had a penis, I'd still be a girl,

But I'd make much more money and conquer the world!

Play Dough's Not So Bad

Friday: 2/21/03

· So everyday this week I've come back to my room in lagging, sleepy fatigueness. It feels like I've been so busy. I mean I'm in class all morning long (wake up at 6:30) and then in the afternoon I've been meeting with people about projects, heading off to schools to do service, working in the theater shops, going to work, and by the time I come back in the evening I just want my mommy and a comfy pillow. I have no will to do homework (so obviously I don't) and therefore by the time I do motivate myself to be productive, it's late and I get very little sleep to get through the next similarly grueling day. Not much social life during the week, needless to say. So, this week I've been an awfully busy beaver (or is it bee? It's bee, isn't it? Well, I'm gonna keep the beaver thing anyways- must either have Oregon or dams on the brain...). I'm pretty ready for spring break next weekend. Although it didn't work out exactly as planned, some sleep and homecooked meals should do me well enough to get through Act 2 of this crazy piece of work I call a semester. Anyways, now it's the weekend and I'm totally ready to have a social life again, but of course I don't. Typical. Here's hoping for tomorrow. And more importantly, here's hoping for an end to my least favorite season- winter!!
· As an added note, I have come to the conclusion that although I have always proclaimed that I could never teach kindergarten because Play Dough and germs are not for me, I love being in this kindergarten class and speaking Spanish. I know that I want to study this kind of stuff in grad school and this has been a fantastic experience. The kids have so much affection, I just love it! And I'm becoming more and more comfortable speaking Spanish because of it, although not exactly more and more efficient.
· Sorry for not writing for a week, I sincerely hope this entry makes up for lost time. A message from the management

Proof (the play)

Saturday: 2/15/04

Well, I went to see an awesome play called Proof (which recently won a Pulitzer Prize) today with a friend. It was really good and yet was about math, who'd a thought?? Aside from that I just got wet (no, not that kind of wet!) and mulled around. I hope everyone had a happy Valentine's day though and is staying a bit drier than me.

Just another Valentine's

Friday: 2/14/03

· The sweet perfume of love is in the air, eh? Whatever. It's 8pm and I'm trying to resist the urge to go to bed. I didn't sleep well yesterday and I've been awfully busy today and it's rainy and dark outside. And it might also be a result of all the sweets I ate today. Well, I went to my first Project Share outing today where I go to a school and work with students whose first language in Spanish. I'm working with a Kindergarten class and the kids are absolutely adorable. And to hear them speaking in Spanish is even cuter. Plus, I was there for their Valentine's Day fiesta so I had a lot of fun just hanging out and playing and talking to them (in Spanish). I even got some candy and a Valentine's card out of it. And then I thought, "Ya know what, V-day just wouldn't be the same without giving a gift from the heart." So without anyone in particular to give something to, I decided (taking the thought literally) to donate blood. Not at all as nice as the blood bank in downtown Sac, but I was still happy with my deed. The worst thing is that they don't use those nifty colorful bandages, but instead packaging tape. So, needless to say, I'm not looking forward to taking it off. There's a party going on downstairs in an hour and I have tons of homework to do and I still have some Valentine's day wishes to send, so maybe I'll stay awake. But maybe not. :-)

Wintry Bitterness

Tuesday: 2/11/03

Today a virtual heat wave struck Nashville forcing me to abandon my heavy coat for a light long sleeve shirt. I believe it reached 45 degrees!!! Yay! And to celebrate I decided to get a haircut. Nothing special, I don't yet trust southerners wielding sharp objects to get too carried away.

Happy Birthday Zoe!!

Monday: 2/10/03

· I just wanted to add this entry cuz I was looking through my notes and I remembered a very strange thing that happened on Monday: I wrote my name in my notes in three out of four classes. No, it's not like a girl writing her crush's name in a notebook in class 30 times (I'm not that egotistical), but they were real notes. In physics, we were talking about the distribution of energy of a pole vaulter and I wrote about the heat energy when the vaulter hits the mat. In theater production, we talked about paint's binder quality level and matte vs. semigloss paint. In contemporary drama we discussed Vsevold Meyerhold, a famous director and student of the MAT (Moscow Art Theatre). I thought it was pretty funny. Anyways...

Asian New Years

Sunday: 2/9/03

· First of all, last night I went to a super cool Asian New Year Festival. It had a real nice mix of traditional asian culture and contemporary asian-american culture. I had two thoughts throughout the show. 1: All my friends back home would have loved it (cuz not everyone there did). 2: This is totally Summerbridgey quality. And everyone got these gift bags FULL of various asian foods and chopsticks and a fan. So now I have a milk soda, some liquid jello, and Korean Golden Grahams, amongst other things. I'll let you know if anything is particularly good. As for today, it is snowing again. I think this is the first time it has snowed (and stuck) since that first snow in early January. It is real nice out, mostly cuz it's not bitterly cold and windy. Picturesque I would say.

Cabaret--- Starring Ronnie!!

Friday: 2/7/03

· It was snowing a bit today and was awfully cold again. Is 50 degree weather so much to ask for? I saw a raunchy (but not well acted, except for the Emcee) production of Cabaret tonight. It was cool cuz I have wanted to see that show for a while now. And... I stuck to my religion and did no homework today (well, except for some sewing). And as a side note, in case you might have somehow, possibly missed Wheel of Fortune this week, you missed an awesome puzzle. I actually only watched for 10 minutes total this week, but by complete miracle in the 10 minutes I was watching the answer to one of the puzzles (a place) was Vanderbilt University. Talk about a coinkydink!!

Me? Sew?

Wednesday: 2/5/03

· Before today I had never sewn in my life. After 5 hours of sewing, I had prick marks up and down my hand, couldn't stand to see another thread, and wasn't much better at sewing than when I started. Actually, I am getting better, but I do need a lot of practice. I feel sorry for the people who have to wear the costumes I worked on. But, there was something I did a lot better on than I expected. I got a 93% on my first oral exam in Spanish. We had to record our exams on the computer and when I went back to listen to it, I really liked listening to myself speak Spanish. This is really odd cuz I had hearing recordings of myself (that's why I don't like talking on the phone and leaving messages). I don't know what's up. Oh! I also officially became a member of the Vanderbilt theatre (can you believe the spelling?) group today. They seem like a cool bunch of people.

Money Well-Spent

Tuesday: 2/4/03

I was planning on telling you about my first VSVS trip of the semester to Johnson Middle School (which is in the hood, very low income), but the teacher had scheduled a police officer to give a lesson on drugs at the same time we were supposed to give our science lesson, so she kicked us out. We'll see what happens next week. I did iron for the first time today though. And here people questioned me going across country and paying 40 grand for school. ;-)