This is Bound to be Awhile...

Okay, so I'm not exactly one to parade around in my sweats with greasy hair and no makeup...even on my groggiest day I put some effort into my daily routine to look neat and presentable. But I have no interest in strutting through the stacks like a fashion plate. I'm there to work. I'm there for the long haul. I may as well be comfy. But still cute, let's be honest.

These are the basic components of my library uniform:

1. Leggings: Real pants are never a good idea. Especially not the skinny jeans I can barely sit in, come on, what was I thinking?!

2. Long tank top: Long enough so that the leggings are not offensive.

3. Sweatshirt: Nice cozy layer, preferably with a zipper so I can take it off easily if I get hot.

4. Ballet slippers: Unless it's raining. Which it always is.

5. Glasses: My contacts aren't really conducive to starting at books and a computer screen for hours. Plus, they make me look smart.

Dignity and Grace

Some horrible, no good, very bad things have happened to me this semester. Things that shook me, changed me, and truly hurt me. I've dealt with everything as best as I could, but a lot of the time I was really afraid that everything was falling apart. But today something great happened. Someone told me that I was handling the experience with dignity and grace.

Dignity and grace.

I've never felt more flattered. For a complete stranger to look at everything from the outside and say they admired the way I dealt with it was so completely gratifying. I truly believe that I'm becoming a stronger and better person.

I've learned to embrace and process my emotions, instead of taking the easy way and running from them. I've learned that even the ugly feelings--like pain, heartbreak, and even anger--can help me to grow. I've learned that no one else can dictate how I respond to that pain. I've learned that I care and love deeply, and that is always a good thing, even if sometimes it goes unappreciated.

I'm still pretty far from really being "okay". I still have my moments, and I probably will for a good while to come.

But I'm handling things with dignity and grace.

Hours in the Library Survival Kit

It's finals week. With two finals and a final research paper looming before me, I feel like I barely have time to eat, let alone sleep, work out, socialize, and keep up with my extensive Hulu queue. Buckling down and really focusing can be hard in my own room, what with the lure of my fluffy pink pillows and lack of anyone to make me feel guilty for being on Facebook, so I've taken to packing up my gear and staking out a spot in the library.

Getting ready to head to the Rock is a process I've been perfecting. There's nothing worse than arriving only to realize you left something crucial (like ear buds) behind.

Here's the checklist I usually run through to make sure I'm properly equipped for a long stay in the stacks.

1. Backpack: This is how you know things are serious. I usually carry a tote bag to class, but when I need to haul my laptop and several books and notebooks, it's time to break out the big guns.

2. Books & Notebooks: Currently I'm studying for Roman Art and Architecture, so that means one textbook and a whole lotta note cards. However, if I'm working on my research paper I could be hauling around a massive stack of books I'm using as sources, plus whatever notebook I'm scrawling my random thought bursts into at the moment. Sometimes I bring it all, just in case I get tired of one subject and want to switch to something else. This usually makes me cranky, since my backpack gets reallyyyy heavy.

3. Laptop: Necessary. My notes, outlines, study guides, and access to the outside world are all wrapped up in this hulking blue monstrosity. Library time is the only time I'm grateful my speakers are broken, since I don't have to worry about embarrassing noises that might disturb my fellow studiers.

4. Pens, Highlighters, Pencils, Post-Its: I'm only using a particular blue pen on my note cards for art history, and I only use pencil when taking notes from sources for my research paper. My current highlighter of choice is orange, and I'm using dark pink Post-It flags in my art history textbook, and lime green ones in my research sources. I have a system, and I don't mess with it.

5. Snacks!: So important. It's hard enough to concentrate without being hungry. Last night I had a Kashi peanut-butter/chocolate protein & fiber bar. It tasted like a terrible candy bar, but it got the job done. Today I think I'll bring along a couple of 100-calorie packs of mixed nuts.

6. Water: Also important. I'll drink coffee from the cafe in the lobby like nobody's business, but if I don't follow it up with water it gives me the most awful headache.

7. Ipod: Gotta have tunes. Must remember to charge it first though, that was a total foul on my part last night. And don't forget the ear buds!!

8. Phone, Keys & ID: Because I take these everywhere.

9. Chargers: Because it stinks when batteries die.

10. Umbrella: Because this is Providence, and you just never know.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Oh hey, Providence...looks like you and winter just can't bear to part ways.

On Sunday, it looked like spring had finally "sprung", now it's dark, cold, and drizzly again.

Maybe if I knew how to ride a bike, this would cheer me up:

 Kate Spade New York for Adeline Adeline

Spring Weekend

It's truly amazing what an effect a little sunshine and warmth can have on my spirits. I had the happiest, most carefree weekend basking in (finally!) Providence springtime and the revelry of Brown's Spring Weekend. I accidentally left my camera at home after Spring Break, so the few photos I have are probably going to be stolen from Kelly's Facebook albums.

I kicked the weekend off early by heading out to the playground with Kelly and Joanna on Thursday afternoon, where we did our best not to embarrass ourselves in front of the other children.

After a painful 2-hour shift at the Blue Room, I joined everyone else at the SPEC Carnival on the Main Green! The cotton candy, burgers, and lemonade were a wonderful experience, but Joanna and I agreed that it would be in our best interests to get mildly tipsy before next year's carnival and ride the mechanical bull.


Friday brought warm enough weather for a picnic--yay Chinese food in the bamboo garden!--and a stroll out to CVS for a few necessities and obligatory random purchases.

The bottles are cute and summery, and I've heard so much about argan oil I thought it would be great to try out a product without spending a ton of money. (These were only about $8 each, plus they were on sale!)

Essie Nail Polish in E-nuff is E-nuff is the prettiest coral-red color! I couldn't wait to get back to my room and paint my nails!

Self-tanner was obviously a necessity...no one deserves to have to see my white legs!

I didn't get tickets to the concerts, so I spent Friday night making up a Gilmore Girls drinking game with my roommates. We watched the Jess episodes. Ahh, Jess...how I swooned over you. 

I spent Saturday in bed. All day.

I really, really regret not having photos from Sunday's Dave Binder concert. Kelly is the only one responsible enough to photo-document any excursion, and sadly she didn't join Tayler, Ashley and I. It was beautiful outside and the concert was SO.MUCH.FUN. I was actually wearing shorts and not freezing! Win!

I am thoroughly pleased with the past few days' activities and am actually feeling energetic about the week to come!

Stage Life

Going from vegging out on the couch at home for a week to spending long days in class and longer nights at rehearsals was definitely a jarring experience, but I survived tech week and four performances of Gilbert and Sullivan's Princess Ida. Honestly, I think I'm happiest when I'm performing in a show. I love the process of getting ready backstage, the butterflies that creep into your stomach while you wait in the wings and totally disappear once you step onto the stage and feel the heat of the lights on your face. I think I've learned and grown a lot from this show in particular. The role itself wasn't very challenging acting-wise (there's a joke in our group that Gilbert and Sullivan characters only display 3 emotions at most) but the singing was probably the most difficult I've ever done. This was my first role as a soprano in an operetta, and for awhile I honestly didn't think I had the range for the part. But with lots of practice and thorough warm-ups (I'm such a slacker when it comes to warming up) I was completely proud of my performance in the end.

Surprisingly, singing about man being "nature's sole mistake" was not terribly difficult for me.

Starry-eyed and giggly.

I'm going to miss the cast so much, but I hope to see them at cast parties and other get-togethers throughout the rest of the semester. I'm also going to miss being onstage. Sometimes I wish that could be my life. If only I were braver...

Just In Case You Didn't Know...

I love and appreciate my wonderful friends for everything they do.

This has been the best weekend for shopping, girl talk, outfit approval via picture mail, dancing, laughing, watching TV at a "homework party", and wearing SKIRTS AND SUNGLASSES!

If only I'd remember to take my camera out of my purse every once in awhile...