Ch-ch-changes

This has been a very busy time. Our weekends are packed and in between the weekends we have to work and try to pack up the apartment.

I went to my first Phish concert with Brian. I have to say I enjoyed the music much more than I expected to. Thankfully I missed the one long jam when I went to the bathroom. I get bored when those go on too long. I loved all the glow stick throwing and the energy. That was the positives. And overall it was a positive experience.

The negative: It poured hard right before the concert started. All the males proceeded to take their wet shirts off (not as attractive as you might imagine). We had a blanket on the ground that we ended up leaving there since no one noticed it and stepped on it, covering it with mud and some gum (nice). I was worrying about the blanket and our backpack the whole time since no one seemed to care what they stepped on with their muddy feet. Most of the people barreling though the crowd were boys, who were larger than me (normal), unfortunately this meant that when they barreled into me, I got knocked over. I also was stepped on several times and punched in the back. I am not used to that many people in a concert space (obv).

This past weekend we went down to Long Island to visit Brian's grandma and to attend a lovely engagement party. As soon as we got to Long Island we headed to Jones Beach. I was excited to try swimming in the Atlantic Ocean (a first). Because of Hurricane Bill the wind was incredibly strong and the waves were intense. The waves were super fun for about 20 minutes. Then I got hit with a huge one that sucked me right down which was followed quickly by a second wave knocking me again and giving me a mouthful of gross saltwater. I was scooped right up by my lifeguard bf Brian who is now my unofficial hero. I knew I kept him around for a reason. I also decided Lake Michigan is much better for playing in. The salt water tastes awful and stings my contacts.

Again I hate moving. Although I enjoy throwing dirty shaggy pillows that no one wants out of my new place.

What? No milk song?

Brian and I were at camp last week and loved it. After all of the changes that have been thrust upon us so quickly neither of us was super excited to go up to camp (normally we're pumped) last week. But once it came time to leave we were both really sad to go. I love spending time with friends from Fowler, I feel like I laugh so much there.

We were both volunteer cabin counselors for the middle-school aged week. I had a great cabin of girls who were neither too annoying or too naughty. Sadly the same cannot be said for Brian's cabin who had an extra dose of crazy.

Now we are back and can't ignore the fact that we have to move out of our cozy apartment. I have no idea where to find boxes here to pack things. And I really don't know if I have room in my new place for all the stuff I brought from Michigan almost two years ago.

The next few weekends are going to be jammed full with friends before Brian leaves and I start school. This weekend we have Thuan and Rachel visiting, obviously awesome. Next weekend we have an engagement party and staying with Mema on Long Island. Then the last weekend of August we are hosting a goodbye party for Brian which is also (for me at least) a goodby party for our apartment together. Hopefully I don't lose my marbles in between all the plans.

Hand to Page Combat

It really is crazy to think that I will be walking into my first day of classes in two years. I am expecting grad school to be very challenging. Brian never studied harder in his life than in his first year of grad school and I should expect the same. As a planner at heart I hate the fact that I don't really understand what my classes are going to be about. I was a Communications major in undergrad and the classes were pretty much obvious in their name. Public Relations Writing was obviously going to be lots of press releases. But The Information Environment, Information Knowledge and Organization? I have no clue.

My Young Adult Literature class is a little easier to approach. Like the dork that I am (and since I have plenty of free time), I have already pushed through much of the reading list for the class. This includes almost twenty books written for the teenagers. So far most of them have been very nice reads. The stories are fast paced and the reading is quick. Right now I am reading Graceling by Kristin Cashore. Summary below:

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po.

She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace—or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

I would never have picked this book up on my own, but I'm so glad I picked it off of the Sci-fi list for my class. I can't put it down.

Fierce

I never know what kind of things I will find at our local library. Sometimes I find a million things I want all at once and other times I come home with nothing. On Monday night, I was ready to leave empty handed when I came across my very favorite TV show back from the days when I had cable. I was lucky enough to find Project Runway season 4 (which I had never seen). Our lovely library lets you take the whole season at once, but you only get two days to watch until the DVDs must be returned. Needless to say for the last two days I have been watching Project Runway all the way though. I didn't realize how much I missed it. Watching it again was great and the season may have been the best one I've seen yet. Now I'm just waiting to find season 5, but I have to wait for August for that one to come out.

Things have been pretty busy for Brian and I. Even without much to do (without full-time jobs and all), we always end up busy. Two weekends ago we had Anna up for a visit and really enjoyed the 4th of July fireworks that Albany has to offer. This past weekend we had Brian's friend PJ and his girlfriend Katie staying with us and attending Tim's wedding. The wedding was great and kicked off our Wedding 2009 season with a bang.

I find it really hard to believe that July is already half way over. The weather is so cool that it just doesn't feel like the dog days of summer at all. I've already been at my part-time job at NYS Library Development for a month or so. It reminds me of my days temping at OMH a lot, which if you have a good memory, were really boring. But at least this one will look good on the ol' resume.

Express Yourself

Well this week I started at the New York State Library. So far they really don't have much for me to do there. Another job sitting and waiting for the clock to tick faster. But at least this job will look great on the resume.

The best thing about the job is the view out the window. I am on the tenth floor of the building which sits on a high point in Albany. I felt like I was getting vertigo for a bit my first day, but who knows what vertigo even feels like, maybe it was nothing.

Having something to do two days a week isn't so bad. Most people work five days then have two off, for me its the opposite.

Lately we have been going to the local library all the time. The DVD selection is great and Brian has been getting CDs out like its his job. I have been reading so much, I don't think I've read this much since my summer breaks during middle/high school. If I was in a summer reading program now, I would get tons of points for all the books I'm reading.

You can really feel the heat coming now. The weather has been so rainy lately, but now that it has stopped, the heat has started. I love going to the neighboorhood pool here so I hope to go all the time and get a fabulous tan.

Feeling hot hot hot

I turn 25 tomorrow, kinda feeling old. Thank god I have some sort of plan for my life right now or I might be freaking out about 25 more.

The best thing about having a birthday in Albany is going to Bombers and getting your free giant margarita. We now have a new option of a glass boot filled with free birthday beer at the Beer Garden. We tried going there for Brian's birthday but the boot had been broken. Apparently eight boots have been broken since the place opened about a month ago. As much as I like all that free beer I like a free margarita more.

I haven't been writing on this blog as much. Being unemployed is a trial to be sure. When you meet people they automatically ask what you do and when you do nothing that's a bit of a downer question. Anyway, I just really don't have much to write about on this blog unless people want to know all the books and movies I have been consuming.

Since last writing I attended two graduation ceremonies. My friend Anna graduated from Seton Hall becoming a Speech Pathologist. It was a really nice ceremony and all of her friends came out to support her since her family couldn't make it. Brian's ceremony was equally nice. While I sat with his parents I could tell how proud they were of him (me too). I got excited watching him graduate knowing I would be in the same spot in two years, graduating from my program. We figured out Brian's cousin should be at the same ceremony at U Albany with me, so that will be fun.

On Thursday I head off to Michigan for a whirlwind three day visit. I am so excited to go down to Festival again! I really think that Festival weekend is the most fun you can have in Grand Rapids all year long. I haven't been able to attend since the summer of 2007.

Lately our apartment building is like a revolving door. People moving out and in all the time. We can't tell if this is more than normal since we don't usually spend so much time in our apartment. Either way we have new neighbors next to us, hopefully they will be on the quiet side.

Pups

For quite a while now, I have been informing Brian that as soon as our living arrangements allow, I really want a puppy. I have not had a puppy of my own to play with since the 2nd grade when we got our first family dog Shelby. Shelby was so cute and little; we picked the smallest girl and the runt of the litter. She may have chewed up everything and peed on stuff in the beginning but it was totally worth it. When my whole family walked in the door with a full grown 2-year old that was Bailey (our current dog) I was pretty bummed that we missed out on his puppy year. Bailey would have been a very cute puppy. Brian family's dog gave birth to a litter of adorable Springer pups and I love looking at pictures of them.

But the more I think about having a dog, I don't know if I ever will. I hate things being dirty, I hate washing animals, and I hate the hair. I hate the way my hands feel after petting a dog or cat. I don't like the way houses can come to smell like the animals that live there and not the people. Maybe a puppy isn't in my future, but I still love to see them.