Transamerica Twenty-Twelve

Today I began my trek across the country on my bike with two fine gentleman whom I only met this morning. My parents dropped me off in Yorktown, and my aunt met us there to see me off, and all six of us ate breakfast then Michael, Thomas and I dipped our back tires in the York River and were off! We missed a turn within the first two minutes, but this was no bad omen; the rest of the day went swimmingly and even though I haven't ridden seriously in a whole and only slept four hours last night I felt great on the road. In total we only made one more wrong turn for the day, bringing us to two small map-reading mistakes, we saw three turtles (one dead)and two groundhogs, and we've met a whole lot of great people already! OJJ or Orange jersey John or Dirty Jersey John rode with us for a while after meeting us at our first bathroom break, and "Frederick" from Frederick, Maryland (actually AJ) passed us early on but we are now staying at the same place for the night (Willis united Methodist church). There are three Netherlandish people at the church tonight, too, one couple Danielle and Stan and coincidentally Elaine rolled in hours later unknowing of her fellow country men. The church is great, I get to sleep on a couch for the first night and embrace a dry, warm, safe place to begin the journey smoothly. Anyways, I took zero pictures today because I was always too lazy to get my camera out and I am quite sunburned on my back (shoulda listened to ya momma), but hopefully I pick up my game and do better in the days to come. Honestly I'm pretty surprised at myself that I actually wrote this little thing up, so if you're reading it, consider yourself lucky;) Thomas and I had a few good singing while riding seshes, and now "good morning" from Singing in the Rain is stuck in my head, but for now I shall say Good Night. Abi Roadkill count:2

"Make Art, Not A's"

So I've been doing a lot of crafting and such, when really I should be studying for the four finals I still have left. But I can't help it. 'Tis the season for gifting, and this year, most of my gifts are hand made.
I just finished a necklace pendant DIY that I found on Sincerely, Kinsey's blog and even though it's not for me, I wore it today to debut to the world, and I've gotten so many compliments. Success!

I really like my choice of beads. :)

The Air is Cooling Down

September has welcomed in some cool weather already, and I don't know how to feel about it. I don't want to be excited for beautiful, crisp, glorious-smelling Autumn winds, because the only thing they mean is that  bitter, cruel, and painfully long Winter is knocking on the door.
However, I do love sweaters. So being able to wear them is great, but weighing sweaters, or sun and fun and outside times on a scale is pretty lopsided for me. My heart will always lie with Summer.

But the seasons gotta change.

Change is great, if it's purposeful and happy, but sometimes it's not.
I've never been one to change due to external factors. People influence people always, but a person should never let another person cause them to change in negative ways. Being dragged down by others, especially friends, is really hard to deal with, because most of the time you don't notice the damage until it's done. And then how do you correct it? Or do you not. Do you justify it away? Do you forget that you were ever different?
It happens. But keeping priorities straight is so necessary, even though it seems like one of the hardest things to do, especially at college. There is so much going on all the time, in every sense, and if you can just grab onto a few things at once, you're doing well. But which things do you choose?

I know who I am, or at least I know who I want to be, and I know that I want to live that out. So many of my conflicting ideas and thoughts have intersected to create a complex diagram of who I define myself as. I confuse myself all the time, while maintaining surety in some sort of an ultimate goal, even if it is semi-generic at this point. My spontaneous nature calls for drastic actions and absurd adventures at times, but I can't get lost in the side-show. I am at one of the climaxes of my life this year with graduation from college, I don't really feel like losing myself now. I want to do life right.

First things first: this paper.

Song of the Day: Change the World- Eric Clapton---it will change your world.

Onto Week 2.

This was my last first week of undergraduate! (haha)
...if I graduate that is.
But hopefully I will.
I need to do grad school applications! Craaaap.

Life is crazy; I just got back from CCM council retreat where I was tubing on a lake all yesterday, and somehow that made my back soo sore so now I feel similar to how I imagine an elderly person feeling.
I'm also planning a spring break trip, and trying to find anyone who is interested on going with me. I want to do something epic and intense, a college spring break like the ones you always hear about in the movies and stuff. I've been looking into the Dominican Republic and that sorta thing; the more affordable tropical destinations.

Song of the Day:
"To Try for the Sun" Donovan Leitch

Back 2 Sk00l

I arrived at the University of Mary Washington yesterday at around 1230ish, and am finally all unpacked, I just have to organize some things. I've had two packed days or RA stuff already, and this is just the beginning. The day isn't over yet, right now I'm starting to work on the door dec(oration)s for my residents.
I can't believe this is real. I can't believe summer is actually over. Sam and Katie were at the beach today? Don't tell me that's allowed without me.
But I have just been going buck here, and I don't think anyone knows how to handle my craziness. Usually I tone it down when I first meet people, but I just can't hold back anymore. Plus it was hard to hold back when I was working with an hour and a half of sleep. I started packing for school at 430 in the morning when I had to leave by 9 on Sunday, and go to mass at 730. Who's smart? Me.
But I don't regret it. I had an awesome last night hanging out with Sam and Katie. They made me an early birthday cake which was delishhhhh, we beached it, we made homemade veggie burgers, we chilled, we jumped off the loading dock at 61st street, and so much else that was just hilarious and awesome.

I've been thinking about getting my facebook back, not because I want it, but because I want to be in contact with people that I won't be seeing, that I had to leave back in VB. But I feel like this would be the worst time to get it back, when I'm about to be so busy with school and everything. It's so distracting, which is why I deleted it in the first place. We'll see.

Song of the Day: Stir it Up- Bob Marley. Because it was my HR's ringtone. embrace.

6 Days!

6 days of summer left
2 days with Virginia
2 days until Becca comes visit
3 days until Sam comes home
3 days until the first and last Fab 4 sleepover of the summer

But summer only really ends when I let it.
Work is seeming very tedious these days, I just wanna have fun! But I must be responsible (which is why I'm spending my time waiting for Virginia starting to pack)
So Many things to do in so little time.
I just got a bunch of stuff on tax free weekend, for school. Including three pairs of overalls, yep, I'm bringing 'em back. School is going to be hilarious, slash my presence at school is going to be hilarious.

I wonder if I could pull off not taking a shower until I have to leave for school? It's already been since Thursday so, I could make it six more, right? Why not? We'll see.
I'm also realizing how hilarious this summer was, and how much it feels like it hasn't existed. Sam and I never finished our tree house, stupid broken wrist and then vacations. We still have some time though! I didn't finish any grad school applications; still time! I tore my ACL again....I have nothing redeeming to say about that, besides, "suck it up, kid" to myself. There have been no waves at all this summer until these past few days and yesterday I couldn't even go outttttttttt, but I am today and I did the day before. I have only seen Becca like 3 times? Stupid Richmond, but she is coming on Wednesday!

Long Live Summer 2011!

song of the day: I want it to be Knee Deep again because I just love that so much, but Here for a Good Time- George Strait is playing right now, and it sounds about right for my present state, so I choose it. "I ain't here for a long time, I'm here for a good time"

Country Music and Counting Down

As always when I get back from the outer banks I listen to so much country music because thats all Laurel and Jessie sing. I'm diggin' it, though. Tim McGraw's voice kills me, and all of Lady Antebellum's and Zac Brown band's songs rock my world.

The last few days have been so summer-worthy, and I'm stoked on it, but it's all bittersweet seeing as I only have ten days left to embrace the beauty and heat and carefree bummin' of summer break.
I did have an epiphany the other day though: why be bummed about going to school? Because there's no beach, air conditioning, or vb friends? Or because there is a lot of homework and responsibility? No, none of that matters! I shouldn't be bummed, it's my last year of undergrad and I know I want to live it up and not wish these next nine months would go by quickly. Life moves too fast already, so I've even been at work not wishing the shift would be over, because that's another several hours of sunshine and beach views gone. When I have to leave for school on the 14th, though I may shed a tear, I'm going in optimistically, this year will be what I want it to be, it's my third year on campus so I'm comfortable and i know what I'm doing.
I'm gonna chill with the people I care about and have fun with and I'm not gonna let any chumps bring me down like chumps try to do sometimes. I'm gonna be making money and having fun while also champing out at art history papers and CCM Social duties.

Now the only thing left to do is figure out how I'm gonna manage the breaks and where slash what I'm gonna do. I'm feeling something good brewin' for spring break.

And the waves are supposed to be good this weekend, sick.

Song of the day: these days- rascal flatts. I have seriously been trying to remember this song since like 2007 or something when I went back to the Visneskis house after obx vacation and Laurel had the cd, but then I left and couldn't remember specific lyrics or anything to look it up with, then it came on pandora and I was like yes!!!!!!!! Victory! So now it's the song of the day.