The Winter of Our Discontent

Lyrics of the songs people have given to me, have written, have put on their facebook profiles as a favorite quote, can really tell a lot about a person.

I stumbled upon a load of music in my Windows Media Player which I imagine myself in Cyber space dusting off coughing as I inhale the tiny organisms which associate themselves with dust.

I found some of my old playlists from freshman year, some old songs I had long since deleted on my iTunes. I had deleted them for a reason, and now as I attempt to clean out my hard drive I find them, sneaking into the crevices of my musical soul. Right now one of the lists is playing.

Is it necessary to learn about your past self? --to know your past self?

"More than anything I want to see you go take a glorious bite out of the whole world"- snow patrol

Yesterday I was kind of being a whack job. It was basically because I've been tired ever since I was born, which is to say, this year I was born into some other being other than myself. What I mean by this is only that since I have been tossed into the mixed salad of upper journalism -- namely the newspaper, content, KRUI and class -- is that I think I've bitten off more than I can chew, but I like the taste. Stupid metaphor. I can't even take credit for it. I heard my Content Editor-in-Chief say it today.

However, all is well, even though it's been three days and already I'm showing signs of stress. Please, watch for red flares emanating from my inevitable distress. Smile and nod.

The other day I finally got Snow Patrol. I was meaning to get it so many times, but always I get caught up in whatever it is I am doing, and I forgot...numerous times.

Since I've gone to Thailand, you know scoured the globe (pah) and now that all my study abroad buddies are back I'm just itching to get a move on and see things. I don't even know why I want to, other than wanting to practice french. I have my meeting with my study abroad counselor tomorrow. If all goes well I'll be able to sign up for a program soon enough. Everything is happening so fast. Pretty soon this semester will be over, I will (hopefully) have an internship, Brian will have graduated, Sean too, newspaper will end for the semester and what will I have to show for it all? Not to get sentimental, but honestly, life does fly by.

Until next time

Thailand and all

Over break you may have gone home for a while—maybe you had a good time, sat around the fire, took part in a holiday celebration: New Years being the most recent. . I bet you spent your break sitting on the couch, maybe packin’ on pounds you’ll undoubtedly not shed so you could get through this quiet, freezing and uneventful break as the winter solstice came to dwell. I bet you ate a whole cake by yourself. I bet your mom uttered between baking sessions: TMT—that’s too many Twinkies for those of you who don’t know.

But by chance those four weeks in between grueling finals and spring semester hysteria led me into another direction. My sister’s been in the US Peace Corps for about a year and a few months now. She’s been in Kyrgyzstan, that’s in the middle of Asia, near Tajikistan, Afghanistan, the Stans. So my parents and I decided to ditch my four brothers for the warm summer-like climate of Thailand to meet up with the prodigal sister.

There’s nothing quite like seeing someone you had felt you would never see again, even though that person may be the one closest to you. Perhaps that’s why it hurt so badly when they left. But alas, over a year later my parents and I saw her again, and it was as if she had never left at all. Although we were more than jazzed to be with her, international traveling is always a hassle. That’s the story no one seems to tell, there’s only the term “jet lag” to speak of.

There is more to it though: You get off the plane. You search endlessly for your luggage, that inevitably was the last piece to come out of the turn-around, or if you’re really lucky it never comes out at all. You stand in line some more. You can’t understand your foreign tour guide. He doesn’t care anyway, because let’s face it: you’re foreign in his country. You’re tired. You’re flight was eighteen hours.

People don’t feel bad for you. You’re an international jetsetter.

You fly around; time turns back for you depending on which direction you’re going. Bangkok back to Chicago, really it’s about a day’s worth of travel, but time lies and says it’s only been psh-six hours. You’re confused. It seems as if your body clock has said, “It’s too hard to keep up with you.” And it is too hard: after all it’s been 24 hours but the sun has a different story to tell: Jet lagged and walking around on an hour of sleep.

Sometimes its better just to stick it out for those three or four weeks, take up shop on the couch and call it a break. But then again, new situations, rekindled relationships, and excursions abroad open up a whole other world.

So I got over the time difference, and visited the King’s Palace.

College

I've been in Iowa City for a couple days so far, and tomorrow school will take up again. Life's about to get hectic. I've been told before that I wouldn't be able to function if I wasn't busy. And it's probably true. So far I've honestly not done much. Today my Thailand Arts-Op was due. It's still not finished at about 9 p.m. I'm just kind of, shit I can't even think of it--I have writers block. Anyway, Meagan, L-Squared and I are watching Scoop.

My favorite Scoop quotes remain as such:
1. "I don't have to work out, my anxiety acts as aerobics."
2. "It's a crimson red, a rouge red, like a tomato red."
"Yes, sir. A red sweater."
3. "I don't like contacts, because I don't like to touch my eye-ball."
4. "I was in the lounge, I heard you drowning, I finished my tea and scones and came immediately!"

Among others...Off to the movies.