michaels

sorry its been so long. i have been thinking about a lot.

life was kind of stressing me out.

1. it is possible to gain a masters in four years if you graduate in three. interesting.

2. im trying to decide where to spend my summer and why.

3. it is cold and raining again

4. today i borrowed someone's car and drove off campus all the way to Michael's craft store all by myself. AND BACK. NO GPS! NO CELL PHONE! (see 7)

5. tomorrow is craigs birthday!

6. it is Art Week here at smcm, which means i have to attend a bajillion seminars and workshops about being creative and stuff like that.

7. my phone recently died after putting up a great fight. i accidentally vacuumed up my phone charger the other day when attempting to be a good person and vacuum the floor. then i tried to rip the phone charger out of the vacuum cleaner without turning off the vacuum cleaner. and BAM! i had to watch my phone die a slow and painful death.

8. the caf had indian food today!!!HURAH.

9. math test tomorrow.

Oh PS- APPARENTLY kim is turning 16 this year. as in "sweet sixteen"

i recently learned this the other day when i called my dad.

dad: yeah kim wants to go to NYC for her sweet sixteen.

laura: YAY NYC... wait... kim... kim my sister? ... like this december? like next month-ish? woaaahhhh. wow. wait... im turning nineteen? oohhh. wow. hmm.

sunday mornings take two

craig (who does not have swine flu) and i went to church again (...if you read last sundays post, you'll know to clap here.)

as usual we had an awesome time, and were offered jobs singing in the choir!! whoo-hoo. yes, me and craig are going to start getting paid to go to church!!!

we even get to wear robes! HOW AWESOME IS THAT?

yesterday i painted allll day. i said it was five hours, but then i ended up staying for another two hours, so it was quite literally all day. then we went to go see peter, craigs room-mate perform in a halloween one act. which was kind of cute and kind of scary. there are auditions for more one acts coming up, perhaps ill try out. maybe?

and then we went to our friend euri's room and the boys played really violent video games which made me feel not good. then we watched cloverfield which made me feel worse. im not really a violence advocate per-se, it makes me feel nauseous. but i was happy we got to spend time with friends.

OH which reminds me. TWO days ago we went to an a capella party. Craig is in our schools male a capella group...seamen (of course). so i got to go by default. it was alot of fun. everyone was pretty drunk and happy and there was much singing involved. the overall favorite was taylor swift.

the best part was that craig's older brother ross was there (hes a senior at smcm) and ross kept yelling things in the generic direction of craig along the lines of "card that kid!" "who is that? he looks way too young to be drinking!!" "give me that beer!" Overall a good time was had by all.

Today craigs parents are driving to our school and taking us out to dinner!! YAY!

There is a jane austen tea today where they are teaching people how to waltz and discussing books and drinking tea. i really can't think of a better combination, and i hope i have time to stop by later.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA. (yesterday)

-i still haven't mailed my card. don't tell. we can blame it on the slow mail people.

work

painted for like five hours today. look at my scaffolding!!

FRIDAY= almost there

1. craig is still alive

2. i went to fencing last night. fencing at smcm is kind of a joke. there is alot of interest, however the skill level remains very low because there are no coaches. there aren't even any advisors. Because i am coming from an experienced fencing background people are very...idk. in awe.

like ...yesterday i walked in and the male saber captain said "oh laura you can run them through whatever drills you want, they are completely in your hands" and i was like..." i just want to fence... um... lets just like do some round robins or something..." but anyways. the point is that its kind of ridiculous the way people look up to me like i'm a pro or something, when really im not at all.

3. yesterday i went to a meeting about the summer study in England. It ripped me apart. FIRST of all.. let me say what they didn't say until the end of the meeting. which is of course. that the trip costs 5 grand. 5000 dollars. okay so now that thats out there... the group lives shakespeare. they stay at stratford upon avon, every night they go to see a theatre group perform, they go to art museums, they go to history museums, they get to see the folio, they tour london, they stay at bed and breakfasts right where Shakespeare lived, they bike the short distances to nearby towns. The entire time they are also attending classes on shakespeare, and keeping journals and writing papers. In addition the trip is run by a husband-wife team who are both english professors here at SMCM. probably some of the best english professors we have. This is the last year this trip will be offered to st marys students.

i am planning on a. asking for trip money for christmas and my birthday

b. meeting with financial advising and looking into scholarships

c. taking out loans

i don't know. i mean its not india and the Himalayas like i wanted, but this is definitely something that applies to my majors and that i would regret missing out on.

4. art history paper

bad new bears

so much has happened.

(mom skip this whole post, save your blood pressure)

yesterday went forever and ever. i was so busy, it seemed like everyone was. In addition to all my normal classes, i attended an art lecture, and a visiting author, fencing, a pop math quiz, painting hours, and a women's bible study. it was a stressful day to say the least.

i came home from math and saw my friend jean in the hall.

laura: hey girl hey... way to skip math today.

jean: did i miss much?

laura: we had a pop quiz.

jean: shit.

laura: why weren't you there?

jean: i'm quarantined.

laura: why?

jean: "swine-flu-like symptoms"

laura: your joking.

jean: no.

laura: you live two doors down from me.

jean:mhmm.

laura: THEY quarantined you to your ROOM?

jean: yeah, where else would they put me?

laura: idk, like a swine flu center or HOME or... something?!

then i went to a lecture by a visiting author about how global warming is irreversible and it progressing at a rapid rate.

in nicer news, the cafeteria is selling cupcakes for a dollar. plus the weather has warmed significantly. unfortunately QA has left the heat on, so we are all sweltering now and keeping all our windows open.

and our school has decided to offer free H1N1 flu shots if you have certain conditions. i qualify on two different things: anemia and asthma.

WHOOHOO! i win the "Most Likely to Contract Swine Flu" award!

i don't know if i need special identification to receive the shots or not.

so far i have been healthy.

i had a brief cold for about a day, and then shook it off.

right now i am fine.

as i'm sure i will continue to be.

jordan said the same thing happened at her campus a couple weeks ago and they are all perfectly fine. Today is jordans birthday. remember to send her a card.

craig has contracted a headache on top of his existing cold. To make matters increasingly panic-y, our school has decided to send out an email with the list of Swine Flu Symptoms. They read as follows:

-fever, but unlike seasonal flu, is sometimes absent (Great that is super helpful. thanks guys)

-cough

-runny nose or stuffy nose

-sore throat

-body aches

-headache

-chills

-fatigue or tiredness, which can be extreme

-diarrhea and vomiting, sometimes (again. Thanks guys. SOMETIMES? what is that?)

craig: i have swine flu

laura: you do not

craig: i do. I know i do.

laura: stop being such a baby, man up.

craig: i have a cold, the chills, a head ache, and a dry cough

laura: you have a cold.

craig: your so cute when your worried.

laura: im not worried.

craig: maybe ill go to the health center

laura: they'll quarantine you.

craig: maybe i'll call my mom.

laura: don't call your mom yet, she'll get upset

craig: lets go buy meds.

laura: okay

craig: so what should i get

laura: i have NO idea.

craig: LAUR...

laura: what? i dont know... what works for you?

craig: sudafed.

laura: well...?

craig: well they dont have that here.

laura: she'll freak.

craig: yeah...well... *takes out his phone*

laura: whatever you say don't actually use the words "swine flu"

craig: Mom? yeah... i think i have SWINE FLU...can i come home this weekend?...yeah... I DONT WANT TO DIE EITHER!

laura: oh god.

craig: shes not letting me come home.

laura: good for her. take some cold medicine.

So being a good girlfriend. i went home and took it upon myself to look up the symptoms of the common cold.

- runny nose

-fever

- coughing,

-sneezing,

-nasal congestion,

-headache,

-muscle ache,

-chills,

-sore throat,

-watery eyes,

- tiredness,

- and lack of appetite.

- intermittent and dry cough

its a cold craig.

So coming back home from breakfast this morning...

i walked into the front door of QA and was immediately grabbed by the arm by a police officer

officer: i need you to do something for me

laura: yes?!

officer: stand here and watch this girl till i get back *indicates girl lying on the floor of the lobby of QA*

laura: uh...yes?

*officer leaves out the front door*

laura (to girl on floor): hey. i'm laura.

girl: no response.

laura: okay you just lie there.

girl: no response

laura: i'm actually first aid certified by the red cross

*by this time a small crowd of girls has gathered*

one girl: is she okay?

laura: um.. i think its all under control guys. there was a police officer here?

officer comes back

laura: hey so am i like good to go now...?

officer: yeah um if you have to

laura: and if i don't have to...?

officer has started talking to girl on the floor.

laura walks upstairs and shakes her head.

"Let me go home, let me go home

I wanna go home, yeah yeah
Why don't they let me go home
I wanna go home"

there is a lecture today by some guy named Dr. Weiner. how can you take that seriously?

i'm skipping yoga to do work.

there is also a christian speaker talking about God and the environment, and a really good music performance today. but i just have alot of work to get done. hmph. why is this week so busy, and all my other weeks not busy at all? actually thats a lie. next week is "art week" and looks equally busy. oh no. i just sneezed. anyways. "Art week" means i have to go to a bunch of seminars. OR ELSE.

also i have to pick out all my classes for next semester. kind of fun, kind of stressful. i cant believe this semester is already more than halfway over?

STAY SAFE.

DON'T COME TO MARYLAND. unless you have to.

AND BRING SANITIZER AND TISSUES.

wiped out.

9-10:30: gym with craig (four mile run/ ab workout)

10:30-11: shower

11-12: brunch/post office

12-1: yoga

1-2: non profit job seminar

2-3: fencing

3:30-5: end notes lesson in library

5:30-6:30: dinner with friends

work.

sleep.

today was warmer. it was nice.

TURN ON THE HEAT. before i become a popsicle.

QA temperatures have hit arctic levels.

three shirts and my coat to bed. mmmm.

oh. thats a picture i painted.