PLUR.

It's been way too long, and I feel ya'll are way behind on the crazy happenings of the 832 household.


How far back shall I go...


Gettin' D with Disney Halloween party=SUCCESS


ABC Party not Party- I guess one could say success minus the breakality of the night, broken straighteners, broken shot glasses, the defacing of a stuffed magnet bear...ohh and a broken arm, too. NBD. But a total success, as the countless hours spent at da hosp were spent in full hil-nat-sick style, complete with drunk singing, the stealing of water bottles, and self-pics in the hospital bed.


Moving on from there we pass some peachy Saturday pre-games, A Sunday spent casually black out after a spontaneous trip to see twilight and an excursion to the retrieve Sm-ice and 100 proof hot chocolate that resulted in non-stop dancing, a broken side door, and of course biting. We can also see the leisurely Tuesday night pre-thanksgiving spent enjoying wine, cheese, cookie dough, and magzz.

              

             

So one could say life's been good.

But of course it gets better..


As this past weekend included the following.
   
 -Final Football game versus none other than Ohio State, resulting in a long overdue victory!

            

   - A post celebration with Lorin or BASSNECTAR. A rager featuring: appropriate apparel- a light up tutu and furry legz, a last minute sprint to the liquor store, Party bus, BASS, plummeting over barricades, dancing, dancing, dancing, BASS, seeing friendly faces, dancing, BASS. and then a happy ending of Taxis and Taco Bell. Cause we say fuck to walking in the rainnn.

Yet it's only reality that with all of these amazing instances, loss must come too. Whether it's one's camera or virginity (not disclosing any names). These things happen. But I'd like to think its fair tradez. Life can't hand out all this rage without at least taking something...


And besides..


It's just a camera.


It's just a game.


It's just sex.


It's just life.


A fun life at that...so nothing else matters!


P.S. Right now we're studying, (okay Hil's studying) in a vacantly closed down East Hall thanks to our Asian friend with the keys! Laptops open, music up! Ohh lifeeeeee!

What it takes..

We're currently discussing the topic of colonization in my African Studies class, an evidently unavoidable topic when it comes to duhh continent l'Afrique.

Today we had a debate in regard's to Dubois's essay on the necessity of violence in decolonization. Seeing the obvious reality to his argument, I found it rather hard to accept violence as the only way.

It is clear that a country that was taken by force, must be taken back in the same way, as everything can't involve the exchanging of corn cobs and handshakes and end in a delightfully enchanting meal, such as that which took place with our notably benevolent founder at Plymouth Rock. But it's also true that at some point that violence has to end, and some kind of mutual agreement has to be reached..or maybe I'm wrong...  of course you could just kill everyone off and continue dealing with everyone who disagrees with you in such efficient fashion.

I just see more to decolonization than just one big act of brutality, as some sort of civilization must be established after.. or what happens to the now "colonized"? Legal systems, education? Is it just bang bang your dead, we win, the end. I just feel Dubois is missing the idea of "process" in his so vividly laid out solution.

DISREGARDING ANY OF THAT, I now realize that what I'm actually trying to say is that maybe I need to be in some sense... decolonized. That is taken by force and forced to see the truth, as we all do sometimes.

Maybe I just need someone to rip me out of my bed, force me to stop feeling sorry for myself.. or even better blatantly slap me in the face..

Just give me ten minutes and I'll probably disclaim the above statement and ask you to sympathize with me and to accept the woes and agony that is my life.

PUHLEEZ. GET OVER YOURSELF ALREADY. YOU OBVIOUSLY KNOW NOTHING!

Find a happy place.

Why is it sometimes so hard to suppress emotions?!


P.S. P.S. P.S.


Can we please stop talking about it!?


Sometimes I really regret my decision to concentrate my studies on Developmental Psychology.


Gahhhh. Why can't I avoid uncomfortable situations forever and live in my warm, cozy, sock-monkey onesie like comfort zone!?


ASKLSFDJLKDSAFLJKADFSKLJDSAFKLJDSFAKJLDSAFKLJASFLSKDJFLDDFSLJK


 Swings. Winstons. Hammocks. Mittens. Snuggling.


My life consists of all things pleasant.

Shape? Circle.

At around this time last year I was going through my interview process for my Alternative Spring Break trip having no idea what to expect.

Not getting my first choice of youth and education, I ended up volunteering in the poverty sector.. rural poverty to be exact.

 I thought this would be nothing new as both my parents grew up in the realities of poverty in very rural  areas of West Virginia. I grew up hearing their stories of scrounging for food "up the holler" and wearing hand me downs previously worn by their 8 or so older siblings. Of course these ideas were foreign to me, as I could never imagine not having any sense of individuality when it came to choosing your clothes or not refusing to eat something because you didn't like it. We were constantly reminded just how fortunate we are to have all that we do, but of course as any spoiled child, my parent's words went in one ear and out the other, and although I heard what they were trying to say, I didn't actually listen... as it was a reality I didn't want to know. I still continued writing my extensively long Christmas list and dividing my toys amongst my brother: yours, mine, and the unfortunate ours.

You would think that having moved less than a year before to this family with nothing more than a trash bag of my belongings, I would not be the materialistic, toy-obsessed child that my parents accused me of. Yet, there was an obvious reality to their words.

Volunteering at my service-learning site in Kentucky, right on the border of Virginia, I assumed it would be similar to these stories related by my parents or at least to the images engraved in my mind from summer vacations of my childhood.


And it definitely was in some ways... but at the same time there was something entirely different about this trip. My eyes were opened to the world of poverty in an entirely different way, as it was tragically personal. Stepping into those families lives and seeing the ways that money was handicapping them changed my views entirely. After that trip I realized that my passion was not solely working with kids, but something more.


Then of course time played it course. Days passed, Weeks passed, and that happy hero feeling dispersed and disappeared.


Temporary.


Short-lived.


Evanescent.


This same thing always happens. Summers in Africa: the happiness and faith that the kids bring, Skydiving: that feeling that you can do anything. Why must the best emotions be so fleeting?


I'm not sure what I'm trying to say...as I have know idea where I was going with this and my emotions are all over the place these days..


 As of now: I just want those feelings back.

CHRISTMAS!

The holiday season is finally here, and I couldn't be more excited!!

Things that I absolutely can't wait for:

-Movies such as To Grandmothers House We Go, ELF, and Eloise at Christmastime!

-Reading my kids "Why Christmas Trees aren't perfect" and "The Night Before Christmas"

-Winter festivities such as Sledding, Baking, Decorating, Christmas shopping, Christmas crafting, PARTYING, and eating!

Other holiday favorites include but are not limited to: Fireplaces, mint hot chocolate, Onesies, Electric blankets, Christmas lights, Holiday pie from McD, Family time, 25 days of Christmas, Ugly Sweaters, spiked egg nog,  and happy people!!

AND OF COURSE A MULTITUDE OF CHRISTMAS MUSIC!

Bring these things to me pleeaseeee!

DREAM JOB.

After a rough, long morning, nothing can make my day better than a smile and a suffocating hug from one of my kids at the center. It's seriously crazy how it can turn my whole day around! I sometimes forget just how much I truly love my job and how fortunate I am to have found it so early on. I could honestly do this forever... pay me next to nothing, take away my benefits (i mean i'd like it even more if you wouldn't) but honestly the reward is so worth it. Because every time I see these kids smile, watch them laugh and dance, and just learn and explore the world around them.. I can't help but smile too and be so grateful that I get to share such beautiful experiences with them.

 So, I'll take the messes, the inconsolable crying, the fighting, the screaming, the diapers, drool, and throw up, the constant EXHAUSTION... even the fact that I watched on of my co-workers get showered with pee today. I'll take it all. It's so worth it.

Kids are seriously the greatest. I want to work with them forever.

Halloween!

GETTIN' D WITH DISNEY PARTY WAS A SUCCESS!!!

And now Ariel and Jasmine are currently planning their next party- featuring drunk Christmas elves and Cindy-Lou Who :)