WOOOOOO!!!!!!

I got Anna! John got Larry! We were both cast! I'm so EXCITED!!!!!

The girl I expected to get Alice didn't, which was surprising, but what are you gonna do. The girl they did cast, Kristin, wasn't bad, just needs toning down (and she's taller than me, which is unusual casting). But our Dan, Harrison, got it! :D

The show is running November 13 and 14. I'm so thrilled! Wish us luck!

In other news, John met my mom and godparents this weekend--it went awesomely well, and it's just been an amazing week. I'll update ASAP with more detail, but I have homework to do!

Love, love, love!

-A.

P.S. Did you guys see Gossip Girl tonight?! Blair and Chuck=perfection.

Bethany Beach!

Most of you know I spent Friday-Monday at Bethany Beach in Delaware with John's family (after my minor-to-moderate eff-up of missing the Thursday night bus)--I had a marvelous time.

I met his whole maternal side--the Orsinis (Mrs. J's brother Rick, his wife Karen and their four young'uns: Ricky, twins Cassie and Brianna, and baby Nicky), the Cunninghams (Mrs. J's younger sister Nancy, her husband Ken, and 16-year-old twins Tom and Matt), and the Schmermunds (Mrs. J's older sister Janet, her husband Bob, son Richie and his fiancée Mandee (both 20) and daughter Kat (24) and her cute boyfriend Doug. [Bobby (22) is their brother, but he didn't come.]). BAM. All from memory.

Anyway, my first evening was easy, because we had crabs that night for dinner, and it's hard to be self-conscious while eating crabs. :P

Mandee and Richie arrived that night, and since the two of them are so close in age to John and I, we ended up bonding over the next few days--the next day at the beach was PERFECT weather. Sunny but not too hot, and the water was SO WARM. IT was wonderful, except that John is a killjoy who refuses to swim. Jerk. But we DID have a nice beach walk and talked some stuff out, which reinforced to me that I am not crazy, and when I mean something I'm usually saying it truthfully and accurately. I admit, I was a little vindicated after that conversation--it made me realize that it was more misunderstanding and none of the inadvertent leading-on-of-John it was made out to be.

I only suffered a tiny bit of sunburn on my back (even though I was wearing an SPF 50 sunscreen made for babies! Or "Baby 50" as we dubbed it during the trip). That'll teach me to try and sunscreen my back by myself. Ooops.

That night was the PIRATE MURDER-MYSTERY PARTY. It was so much fun and everyone got into it (save the Orsinis, who left that afternoon)--I was Alice Tremain, "shrewd and intelligent" first mate to 'Saucy' Nancy Martin (John's Aunt Nancy). It was a total blast, and I had a sexy costume and made some pretty amazing costumes for OTHERS on the fly. Even though I wasn't the MOST successful in the game (although there is no clear 'winner'), I had a lot of fun and it made me a lot more comfortable to talk to people I didn't really know (after all, you HAVE to be friends after plotting someone's death/fighting a duel/bargaining for a governor's pardon, right?).

The next day John and I stayed in--I read while he napped, and we went into town in the evening and bought him some sunglasses (I picked them out and he looks fabulous) and books, and a touristy t-shirt for me. :P

We had a big spaghetti dinner that evening, and after the grownups went to bed, Kat, Richie, Mandee, John, Anthony (John's younger brother), and I had a board game fest. We split into two teams (I was with Mandee and Richie) and we played Pictionary, Taboo, and Smart Mouth--it was a lot of laughs and a lot of fun ('TooT", "Dance Dance ___?" "In your Pants-Pants!"). :D

We made it to the beach the next morning and saw a pod of dolphins swimming close to shore. :) John and I shared my towel and read our books while Richie and Mandee played backgammon and Anthony watched. It was just really pleasant and relaxed. Mandee and I bonded about the recent engagement and upcoming wedding (Wooooo!) and over Gossip Girl, but disagree on hockey (boo, Caps!). And Richie attends the Naval Academy and is fun and funny and they're adorable and I'm going to stop gushing now before the cuteness starts coming out of my ears.

Although, I DID get the third degree from John's mom a bit. If you've been following mine and John's tumultuous history (:P), you know that I opened up the lines of communication with him mom when I went to NJ to see Harry Potter. I did this so I could erase the stigma of the flaky impression I'd given her based on my tentativeness towards John. But I was pretty stunned when she basically cornered me Monday morning: "How are you and John? I know you're staying just friends..."

It started out innocently enough; I apologized for the confusion--I hate looking flaky and lame. She was surprisingly abrupt. "I guess I was just wondering--why did you even come here? Did you just come to tell him you didn't want to be with him?"

"Uh, no, of course not. Honestly, I came because I selfishly wanted to meet and be accepted by your family. You're all wonderful."

"Why have you been bringing up Christine so much?" (As you may remember, Christine is John's ex who is pretty obsessed with the idea of getting back together, and is none-too-thrilled about the fact that I was invited to Bethany this year after only three months of a friendship, while she was only invited after four years of a relationship. Ooops.)

"Because it's funny." (Seriously! She kept calling!)

And out of NOWHERE, it gets personal: "What about you and Robin? You guys dated but you're still close." I'm not sure what she meant by this--maybe she thinks I'm still holding on to Robin how Christine is holding on to John? Which is NOT the case in the LEAST. Let's make that clear.

"He's my best friend. Yeah, we dated, but that was 1/5 of our time together. We're BEST FRIENDS."

"It just seems to me like you're waiting on someone else. Waiting to text or call someone else."

Now, I told John about Hector--writer of Ink and my current interest--during our beach walk, but he didn't mention that part to his mom. She's good.

"You're good. Yes, there is someone, but I'm not trying to make John hold out for me until it works out/doesn't work out with this other boy." Obviously.

"I'm not trying to be the interfering mom here, but he is my son. But if you guys are cool, I'm cool."

I did understand that, and I was too put-on-the-spot to really process, but later, talking to Jen, I realized that it was an overstep on her part. John and I are both adults. And we are, indeed, 'cool'. So, if a conversation like that happens again (which I doubt it will), I maaay have to be a little more firm.

But overall, the trip was excellent, and it was a great chance for me to meet and get to know new people and get closer to John and his family. :)

For those of you that never saw me in Ink, here's a link to the whole short film--it's about 20 minutes. Enjoy! :D

I'll update when something fun happens--only two weeks left until classes start! Both awesome and nerve-wracking.

Love,

-A.

P.S. I WANT:

Smilez.

Robin

i know 

i know 

i'll be so ashaaaamed [if I watch Gossip Girl and like it]

it took me years to get over liking everwood

12:49amAlyssa

it can be secret

and by secret

i mean i'm going to make you a tote that you have to carry

with the words "I watch Gossip Girl and like it" printed on the side

a TOTE, Robin.

12:49amRobin

hahahahahahahahahahahha

youre great 

This sums up every conversation I've had with certain friends of mine. Guess who I am--A or B? (Also, Why I Love Brian. Parts Ten and Eleven.)

A: i think i've said "don't judge me" 10+ times tonight... is that a bad thing?
B: yes
A: ...don't judge me

(Courtesy of www.textsfromlastnight.com)

Brian: (on Lacie) It's so true. You somehow became the big enemy. You helped her nemesis (Abby M.) take me from her then sided with [Abby].

(That one isn't particularly funny, but it's so Spot-On!)

Also...

Me: I can't wait to watch GG with you!
Brian: I can't wait to get a girl. And round the bases with her. And watch Gossip Girl with you.

:) Oh Kev--I'm glad I'm a priority. In other news, I have spent far too much time online over the last day. I'm going to finally get down to business on thesis stuff today--wish me luck and a little inspiration! :)

Love,

A.

I miss human interaction.

Hi all!

I just finished a lovely visit with Ben, who came to relieve me of my recent loneliness now that Betsy and Jen have left (although Jen gets back tonight). :)

I also had a successful day at work yesterday! My trainer, Jonathan, decided that since I was on my last day of training, it was time to shove me out of the nest, as it were, and have me present at the daily pre-shift meeting. It wasn't a big deal, but I was pretty nervous (as most of you know, I hate doing something in front of a crowd if I have a chance of failing). I did it, and I ended up being a huge hit! I was stunned! But obviously pleased. :) There's nothing like success, especially when it's unexpected. :D

And right after work, Ben picked me up and we got down to some very, very important business--watching Gossip Girl. :P

I had today off, and I'm off tomorrow, so I'm going to TRY and get some thesis stuff started. Ug.

Also, I hate money. More accurately, I hate NOT having money. (I actually like money a whole lot.)

I love you all so, so much and I hope you're having a good one! :)

Whoa, a post without romantic drama or intrigue. What has this blog become?! :P

-A.

The Exception to the Rule.

Before I dive in to the point of my title, Ben came to visit yesterday and stayed the night. I owe a lot to Ben for his (baldly honest) insight into my personality. It's always a pleasure to hang out with him and especially to confide in him, because when we move past the snark and the disagreements and psychoanalysis and I just need a hug, he's always there for me 100%, on my terms. (Mostly. :P) It means a lot. Thank you, Ben. :)

(Also, did I not say Gossip Girl is amazing? Told you! :P)

I got a message from Marla today, requesting that I remove from Facebook the photos Betsy took of me in the corset Marla made. Apparently, asking me to remove them has everything to do with her wanting to preserve the artistic integrity of her "creative content" (the corset--as opposed to the images, which are rightfully Betsy's), and nothing to do with the fact that she probably sent me those nasty Honesty Box messages. (After all, I had those photos up for two weeks and she didn't say a word until my second response to the HB messages.) I'm not certain, but then again, I don't know anyone else who uses the word "rather" on a daily basis. I removed the photos, obviously. No need to start a fight. But, I did add in my return message that I hate how things have ended up between us.

Betsy and I had a girl's day, starting with shopping and culminating in eating candy and watching "He's Just Not That Into You", which I enjoyed far, far more than I expected. Now, I don't want to spoil a thing, BUT, there's a particular emphasis on the Rules of dating and the Exceptions. Like, the guy will call if he wants to be with you is a Rule. Or, he finally calls after a month and you end up happily ever after? Exception.

As I've said before, I've absolutely had my moments with boys where I over-analyze and mistake his intentions or feelings. Some not so serious, some heart-breaking. We all do it. We've all been on the other side as well. I've been more present to it in the last two weeks than I have in a while.

To be fair, it is a romantic comedy, and there were happy endings. BUT, people end up single. I was impressed at the honesty, despite the character exaggerations. The happy endings were wonderful and totally made me cry. They weren't altogether shocking, but just enough of a romantic twist to make me literally cry out with something like joy at the TV. :) It's one of my favorite things about romantic comedies, and also one of my least favorite.

We all want to be the Exception to the Rule, on some level. But, I think, what I want more than the thrill and drama of being The One to Change Him, is to be...happy. I would love that grand romantic gesture after all the struggle, but I'd prefer to work through the struggle from the start. It's like a song you might know: "I'd rather be working for a paycheck then waiting to win the lottery." I want romance and wonder and that thrill in my gut when He Finally Gets It. But why would I wait for a man that doesn't want me from the start? It won't be easy, but it will be worth it.

All of that aside, after watching a movie like that, I'm just ready to be in love. :P Because I am a girl who loves seeing joy.

Love you all!

-A.

P.S. Let's Go Pens! We've got a big game ahead of us!

A Semi-Solitary Weekend

With Betsy at home in New Jersey for the weekend, and Jen home for two weeks on Long Island, I have four long days by my lonesome. I had a wonderful visit with Ben, who drove up from Virginia at short notice to be with little old me. :)

Ben and I have bonded amazingly well lately--two phone conversations in the last three days lasting over 3 hours. They've been informative, funny, and sometimes difficult, but always rewarding. It's nice to have a friend that challenges me. It's good for me.

I had two shifts yesterday, and at the end of my second, a DA I've known for years, Tiff (not Marla's roommate!) came in with a boy I don't know and I ended up talking with her about the events of the past year (I told her about my upcoming date with Mark and she inquired about Robin and I).

The most fascinating part was, the guy she came in with, Jie, ended up being Mark's best friend! He didn't have much info to offer about Mark--save a little insider stuff about his ex (they've been done for awhile, and were on-and-off for almost their whole 4 YEAR RELATIONSHIP. Yeesh.). I am a little wary that this is just a rebound thing, but I'm not going to make any decisions about that until the actual date!

In other news, I applied to City Cafe (Donna's has been flaky and silent), and I've been mostly holed up watching reruns of Gossip Girl: Season One. Seriously. Everyone needs to watch this show.

Tonight is up in the air--I don't have a shift and I'm uncreative. :P

But Betsy is back tomorrow, and then my date on Wednesday! Maybe I should enjoy the relaxation. :P Also, I'm hoping to secure this gorgeous dress on eBay--




Wish me luck! :)

Love,

-A.

To quote Lauren: "What is my life?!"

This was going to be an entry about my own dumminess, but it's going to turn into something exciting and fun!

I commandeered Betsy's computer to pass the time until she got home from her dinner, and I got a comment on Facebook from this guy Eric, who I worked on Ink with last spring--we haven't seen each other in a year. He's in Baltimore for the week, and he's a Gossip Girl fan, too, and after talking for maybe three minutes, all of a sudden, I am smack-dab in the middle of plans to re-watch the season finale with him! Tonight!

It isn't a huge deal--he is cute and funny and a Christian, though--because he's going back to Texas, his home state, on Saturday. But hey, I'm not about to turn down company for a GG-loving cutie pie. Especially one I haven't seen in a year!

Now I have to go pick up some supplies--this goof likes Pepsi over Coke. WTF? :P

Love you all--

-A.

P.S. Seriously, God. You rock. You ALWAYS know when I need these pick-me-ups. You ALWAYS deliver. :)

Crossing the T's and Dotting the I's.

I am not very good at it. :/ I always forget these important things!

I'm having a teensy panic because I'm supposed to be meeting Rebecca, my thesis advisor, before 5ish PM, and I left the book I made this past semester in my apartment, but, because the girl I sublet to, Lee, hasn't given me her key yet, and because Jen and Betsy are out, I am now locked out with no way to get my book! :(

But, Jen or Lee should be back before 4 pm--at least, I think. I'll let you know how it goes.

ANYWAY, Betsy cut and lightened my hair last night--it's about five inches shorter and light gold/brown. Not too drastic of a change, but good. :) I look more grown up, but simultaneously more tough, in a way. Or maybe I'm just projecting. :P

Jen, Betsy, and I had a photo shoot in our basement last night--it is super-creepy and horror-set worthy, and on top of that, the photos came out beautifully. Once Betsy posts them on her website, I'll direct you over.

In exciting news for Lauren, her dating slump is over (although considering she's never really dated, I suppose it never technically began), and she has FOUR guys looking for her attention this summer. Two of them are about 23 (kind of old for her 18-year-old self, and one may have a girlfriend already), and one is a pothead (a definite no for her, thankfully), and the other was in her graduating class, but doesn't have the best reputation for sobriety. We'll see how it pans out. I'm just pleased that she starting to get the attention she deserves.

No romantic opportunities for me, of course--it's a little soon to say, after all--but I should be concentrating on school and work anyway. :) Seeing the commencement party yesterday for MICA '09 gave me a little scare, coupled with this thrill of excitement. But mostly scared. :P

Hope you're all having a good day. Wish me luck with getting into my apartment!

-A.

P.S. For those of you who watch Gossip Girl. Holy ish. Last night?! AMAZING.

P.P.S. For those of you who watch the Pittsburgh Penguins. Holy ish! On our way to the Cup! One down, three to go! :D

Ugh, this patience thing is overrated.

No response from Craigslist mystery guy yet, unfortunately. Dammit.

However, I did get to have a short chat with Robin today, and I tell you, the more we talk, the more I think that we'll be A-OK, especially once we get back into each other's lives and have things to talk about again.

I asked Dad for some money to float June rent until I get a job and have something to build on. He was shockingly compliant, and he told me he would take it out of the money he set aside for me for this year--$2000, his tax return. I'm taking $500 for rent, and $100 for expenses for travel--Lauren is generously volunteering to drive me to Baltimore either Sunday or Monday. It's looking like Monday, as Lauren has a final Monday morning, and besides, Sunday is Mother's Day, after all.

I got a couple late texts from Joey V. and Dan--I get to see both of them before I go home, which is a very pleasant surprise, as Joey is wrapped in wedding plans for Rachaela (but thankfully, not so ensconced that he can't scheme with me), and Dan is harder to get ahold of then a greased pig. Ew.

A reminder about Dan, to myself--readers may skip this part if they wish--Alyssa, no matter how much you miss making out, DO NOT KISS DAN. Yes, he is tall and charming, but he is also very bad at commitment and at being straightforward about anything. Don't fall into the default makeout mode! You are better!

Okay, cool.

Also, I like playing detective. I am lame. WHATEVER. Brian is kind enough to indulge me (as he has a similar fantasy, I can't say it's a selfless indulgence, but OH WELL. WE ROCK).

Anyone who saw Gossip Girl last night (which I watched with Bess, because she is AWESOME--Em, where did you get sich a cool sister? :P), OKAY. CAN CHUCK BE REAL AND MINE NOW?

Ahem.

I'm feeling happy. It's nice. :)

I also like being able to update a lot, but I also feel lame that I have no readers. :P BE BETTER, GUYS.

No, I love you.

More soon--

-A.

:D

My weekend has been very full. I went to Siena and San Gimignano yesterday--it was gorgeous, if a little drizzly in the afternoon, but we had some sun in the morning.

Siena had these amazing altarpieces by Duccio on display--there was one that stuck out in particular to me. It was a depiction of Christ being tempted by Satan to jump off the temple and command the angels to catch Him. Satan was a winged silhouette, and it struck me as the most simple, brilliant, and sophisticated portrayal of the devil I've ever seen! The shadow of an angel! It was wonderful. Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to take a photo! (Here it is, pre-restoration--sorry, it was all I could find!: http://www.abcgallery.com/D/duccio/duccio49.html

Here's another depiction by Duccio, a later work, but similar imagery: http://pro.corbis.com/images/MA09403A.jpg?size=67&uid=%7BD1DDFF78-D694-413A-AFF5-B0DC7BEE1DDC%7D)

San Gimignano is, and will always be, Oz to me now. There are this medieval towers we climbed up to see the rolling hills outside of the town walls--one was incredibly high up, and the wind was freezing and it started to rain, but I was so thrilled by the view and the overwhelming beauty of Creation that I couldn't stop laughing! I wish you could've seen it with me--we could keep each other warm. :) It was Oz because the roads are all bricklaid (red, but oh well) and David, Mel and I, and a few others got a little lost on the way to the wine/cheese tasting we had planned, and someone suggested we were on the Yellow Brick Road, and since I had braids in my hair yesterday, I was Dorothy, and lanky David was my Scarecrow, and curly-maned Mel was my Lion! (Emma joined as the Tin Man later. :P) It was really fun and rewarding! I love these trips. :)

I stopped by our Italian neighbors' last night--they invited us to a birthday party they hosted, so Mel and I went to be courteous, and we ended up talking to Lucio, who lives there, and we found out that he's a Christian, and not a Catholic, which is very rare. But he seemed excited to talk to us about faith, so that was awesome--there's a reason for everything. :) So we're all making dinner on Thursday night!

This morning I went to church at St. James. I got there a little late and went straight to my seat without getting a program--luckily, I arrived just in time for the sermon, which was no more satisfying than the one two weeks ago, unfortunately. It took from Matthew, when Christ healed Peter's mother-in-law, then a bunch of others, then went by himself to rest and pray. Okay, fair enough. But then she goes on to stress the importance of rest and how even God rested on the 7th day, blah blah. It was infuriating! How about "in the midst of your duties, take the time to recharge your SPIRIT with God. Pray--just talk to Him about your day and your struggles." SHEESH. But it's only my second service. I do intend to ask her about the sermon on Wednesday night before choir rehearsal, though.

Sigh. Being here has given me a lot to think about as far as my own faith and challenges, as well as the history of religion apart from my own. More Cathedrals here are dedicated to Mary than to Christ! So strange!

But the art is stunning and fulfilling to see, and to think that even 700 years ago, people came to worship, well, it's just so humbling. :)

ANYWAY, after the service, I grabbed a program to see what I missed, and I saw that they are putting on Godspell! And auditions are on the 14th! :D And the performance is during Holy Week (duh), so I'll be here! :DDDDD I wish you could see it!

I told Mom about Robin and I--she took it very well! It was a huge relief, and now I see that I am a drama queen. :P

ALSO, Paul is in some kind of open relationship, and I MUST KNOW WHO IT IS. Anyone with details (that means mostly you, Robin), report to me ASAP!

Robin went to Comicon in NYC this weekend and tried to get me a signed poster from Ed Westwick (CHUCK BASS! *swoon*), but the line cut off right before his turn. Thank you though, Robin! It means so much that you thought of me and looked like a dork for me by standing in the Ed Westwick line. :P

Love you guys! More soon,

-A.

Buon Giorno!

Morning! It's about twenty-to-twelve here right now, and I had some time to update you on my life, so here we go!

Robin made me a wonderful little "I Miss You" mix. I just wanted to brag about that. :D

Anyway, I've basically been attending class, eating, and hanging out with my main peeps! David got food poisoning (perhaps from falafel that was cooked in the same pan as meat--David is vegetarian). :( But he's doing better now. I'm going to try and download Gossip Girl for us to watch soon to get him back to 100% health!

I met with my MICA advisor/professor for independent, Kevin Labadie. Why do I always end up talking about faith with practical strangers? About intimate things? I swear, I could tell you a few sex stories ALREADY about some people here. It's crazy.

ANYWAY, I mentioned that Melissa and I are Christians (he asked how we got so close), and he took that and ran with it. It wasn't a personal thing, though. We discussed the differences between philosophy and faith, and he told me a story about this comparative religion teach he attended a party with once, and she said that all religion is philosophy, because religion is the "search for God". I about had a stroke when I heard that. I seriously put my hands over my face and had to keep myself from screaming in frustration! Thankfully, Kevin agreed with me, and defended our point to that teacher. Kevin is an agnostic (who went to Catholic military school--YIKES!), but he understands faith and understands that faith isn't a search for God, but a relationship WITH God.

Either way, it was nice to delve into that side of a teacher, and to be able to have those personal connections. I made a few simple observations about Kevin to him--mismatched socks, jittery, always in motion. Kevin noted that I seem very perceptive--detective-like, and with my sense of justice and passion, it could border on blackmail/vigilantism! I liked that. :P I've never thought of myself as having those scary tendencies, but it's reassuring to know that I have some capacity for bad-assery. :D

I think I might base my independent body of work on the concept of secrecy, told in cut paper, selective silhouette--pulling out important details on the paper with a blade. Secrecy has been a big part of my life in general--well, I should say, having the power to release the secrets has been. I like that power, and it's exciting to think about translating it into something visual and illustrative.

I'll catch up with you guys very soon. I'm going to Pisa and Lucca this weekend (have I mentioned that?), so I hope to bring home some pretty pictures!

Love and miss you guys. I hope you're all well! Update, update!

-A.

The Marcato.

Let me briefly describe a trip to the Marcato Centrale.

You walk past hundreds of street vendors, selling t-shirts and leather goods, and telling women that they'll give them a "deal for [their] pretty smile".

Then you get to the warehouse, and you walk up the steps and into a wall of raw meat smell, which isn't pleasant, but somehow amazing to see all of the butchers with their aprons stained with pinkish blood carving up chickens and pigs and cows. I even saw a whole rabbit carcass today, frozen in mid-leap, but on it's back, skinned and tasty-looking.

The first floor is all meat, cheese and bread (there's a cute bread stand with yummy baguettes where the workers wear straw hats with sunflowers on them). There's a candy stand and a few produce stands, but the good produce is on the second floor. You can get almost anything there. Dried fruit, nuts, blood oranges, delicious apples. God, so GOOD!

It's hard to order what you want initially, especially if you don't know the numbers. So you do a lot of pointing and holding up the right number of fingers, until you learn to say "Una uva moscotello" (a scoop of black raisins), et cetera. It's actually really rewarding once you get through a transaction by yourself, even if you use a little English. :P

It's always a bustle, and I like going, even if it is a walk to get there. :) And, bonus! There's a Bank that ACTUALLY changes money nearby! Pretty amazing.

I got to talk to my mom and Robin yesterday. Mom is doing fine, and KJ (for the brief time we spoke) seems just as silent on the phone as usual. :P I'm sorry I missed you Em! When I got off with Robin you had signed off! I'll catch you soon.

Me, Mel and #10 (what I call Noel, Emma, Morgan, and David's apartment) watched Hook and ate half-price gelato, which was TRES tasty. (Or MOLTO, my bad.) ALSO, I found out that David watches Gossip Girl! We totally bonded, and we have a date to watch the new episode tonight (Obviously not a real date, just a nerdy GG one)! He is the BEST. EVER. :P

I love and miss you guys! How are all of you? Update!

Muah!

-A.

To-Do Today.

Dentist Appt. (My top wisdom teeth have erupted, but they look small enough to keep. Hooray!)
Post Office (I sent my apology letter to Marla AND ran into my paternal sort-of-grandfather and his big ol' dog.)
Bank (Still not enough money for me! :D)
Packing (And I'm still SO nervous about being over the weight limit!)
Haircut (You'll all see it soon enough. :P)
Gossip Girl (If you haven't watched this, we're not friends. >:( :P)

So, now I tackle packing, then at noon, haircut, then more packing, then Gossip Girl. I will never finish Breaking Dawn at this rate! :P

I can't even believe I head out tomorrow. OMG.

I said goodbye to Robin yesterday night. It was about as hard as I anticipated--I cried a little. I'm going to miss all of you SO much, but Robin was the guy I've gotten the closest to over the past months of planning and stressing. I love you guys. :)

Okay, seriously have to start now. :*

Love,
A.

ETA: 1/6/09, 12:25AM

The To-Do List is done, I get a last China Palace lunch with my family tomorrow, and then my plane leaves at 3pm! OMG!

Love you.

A.

Wooooooooo!

My visa arrived! Hooray!

Whew. Thank God.

Also, I'm home! I'm sure that you've heard. :)

And I have quite a bit of Christmas shopping to do today, so I'll update soon! :D

Love,
A


8:27 pm:

Okay! I shopped with Emily and Bessala today and it was lovely! Took care of Lauren's, KJ's, and Sam's (Dad's stepdaughter) gifts:

Lauren: The Dark Knight and Now and Then DVDs.
KJ: Drum sticks for his new DRUM SET that he will shit his pants for but my mom and sister will go nuts from.
Sam: Two GG-licious headbands and some cute bow clips.
Mom: Lauren and I went in on a facial/massage.
Dad: Us kids are going in on a digital camera.
Robin: Ah-ah-ah! He actually reads this thing. :P ;)
You four!: Ditto, but you'll like them, I hope!

So far, Lisa (Dad's wife) is not yet taken care of. :/ Ooops. But hopefully Starbucks will be open and I can get her a card to go with Lauren's Penguin Bookshop card for her.

Because I didn't update yesterday, let me recap! Emily and I were invited to brunch by Robin at Sam and Jessie's with a few other friends. It was awesome to see them so soon, and I was thrilled to be able to introduce Em to Robin and the others. The food was also DELICIOUS.

Apparently, one of the other guests, Zander (who I met this summer and who Em went to SA with), asked Robin what's up with us, and I admit, I suspected that Zander was sniffing around me already, since he and his girlfriend just broke up, and he's been texting me, etc. But basically, I think he was disappointed to see that I wasn't single. Although, Zander isn't really the guy for me, although he is cute and nice and well-dressed and all that. :)

For Ab-Fab:

Robin and his brother intended to interview Andrew WK on CMU radio, and he called in and everything, but he was acting really weird and the calls got dropped a few times, and while I don't know how the interview ended, I think it was a disappointment for Robin and Alex. Sorry guys! :( But either way, I'm sure you'd want to know, Ab. Hope Ohio was fun! :D

Also, my grandparents, who are generously footing the bill for me this year so I can go to Italy, called me tonight with some abrupt news that they want to take out and co-sign a loan with me for the next semester instead of paying up front like they did this semester. If that's what they want to do, then I guess that's that, but the fact taht they bring it up literally TWO WEEKS from my departure date and IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CHRISTMAS RUSH was giving me a heart attack a little worrisome. Okay, we'll see how it pans out.

Okay, time to finish up some gifts!

Love!
A

102

I realized that my Worst Day EVER post was my 100th post. Ooops.

But I'm still worrying. :(

Anyway, I have one more week of MICA. I'll be home Sunday the 21st. You all better be home so I can call you up immediately and come see you!

I can't even believe I'll be getting on that plane (hopefully on time) in three weeks.

That's nothing. No time at all. God damn.

I'm going to miss you guys so muuuuuuch! :( But I know I'll get to talk to you a good bit since I have Skype now, so. :) DOWNLOAD IT SO I CAN SEEEE YOU.

As soon as I get home, I have to launch myself into packing properly (you're all welcome to give me tips on traveling lightly abroad :P), seeing all of my friends, tying up loose ends, etc.

Basically it will go like this:

Dec 21st: Return Home.
Dec 21-23: See you guys as much as I possibly can. Pack.
Dec 24-25: Christmas with my family.
Dec 26-31: See you guys as much as I possibly can. Pack.
Dec 31-Jan 1: Go into Pittsburgh with Robin to see Jessie and Sam and perhaps Marla. Maybe we can make a huge, blended party out of it? What are you guys doing for New Year's?
Jan 1: Say goodbye to Em! :( Pack more.
Jan 2-Jan 5: Say all my goodbyes and have last-hang-outs. Watch the new Gossip Girl with Abby M!
Jan 6th: Get on a plane to New York! OMGGG! Then to Frankfurt, then to Florence with Melissa!
Jan 7th: Cry all the way there, arrive, and have a fantastic time! :D

Sound good?

Finals are almost done--I have one exam today, one tomorrow, a project due Wednesday (basically finished), and 2 pencil drawings and a typed story I've already written due Thursday. Nothing too exerting, thankfully. At this point, my biggest anxiety are those visa forms, and how Mom needs to get then back to me NOW.

Okay, deep breath. God's got this.

I love you guys! I can't wait to see you. :)

-A

(ETA: Mom called--the forms will be here tomorrow by noon, then on Thursday morning I can get it sent out. Whew. Dear God, let this be timely!)

N-Y-C! What is it about you?

Robin and I are going to New York City tomorrow, bright and early. (Marla was originally supposed to come, but she has so much finals work she backed out tonight. Convenient, hm?)

So, we're taking a bus with some other MICA students, and we'll be there all day, seeing the sights, etc. We intend to go see the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center all lit up.

Any other suggestions? Aside from watching Gossip Girl get filmed, of course. :P

Muah,
Alyssa

Loving. Living. Small.

Number One: Dan Wolf is now Facebook Official with Katie Campbell. Is that her name? Anyway, Abby if you know anything about her, please-oh-please dig the dirt. :) I am in no way interested in getting anywhere near Dan Wolf's lips anytime soon, but I AM interested to see her deal, because he told me he's already brooding about breaking up, because (this sounds familiar) none of them have time for each other/affection is waning. If he can't keep a relationship going while they go to the SAME SCHOOL, I had no chance. Although that shows that he made way more of an effort with me, which is flattering.

Number Two: I tried to update my status with something funny, but it was replaced when I hit the button with "Alyssa is everything I wish for will never come true." WEIRD. It turns out it was the girl's status who updated right before me, so there was some glitch or something, but it was still strange.

Number Three: Jen is a butt. She has three modes: "Betsy, I need you/r sympathy because Dylan is an asshole." "Betsy, you're a bitch for hanging out with Ryan." and "Betsy, we're friends again because now I get to hang out with Ryan." Damn that girl!

Number Four: I'm going to see Twilight with Bess, because Lauren didn't like it enough to pay for it again. I'm looking forward to this, though, because Bess is a longer-time/more rabid fan. and it should be fun and hilarious. :)

Number Five: Thanksgiving is this week. HOORAY! I get to see most of you! Is Bri coming home, by the way? Love you guys!

Number Six: I sang (not that well) and Robin gave a hilarious Donatello X performance last night at Coffeehouse. (Donatello X is a beat poet--he's super sexy and stylish [he wears all black and a beret and sunglasses] and his poetry [such as The Blind Watchdog or Incandescent Delight] is swoon-worthy). He was so cute. :D

(We barely freaking hide it anymore. We were all touching last night while Marla's back was turned. Well, of course, we were sure her back WAS turned, but she was in the same room for goodness' sake.)

Number Seven: I fell asleep on my couch last night, woke up at 4:30ish and went to bed, woke up at 8:45, and was running late for my nine AM shift. I thought I was ready, but when I glanced in the mirror, I had eyeliner and mascara smeared ALL OVER my face--a combination of falling asleep with it on, and the tears my eyes made because they were so dry from sleeping with contacts in. AWESOME. But now I am clean and cute again. :)

Number Eight: No new Gossip Girl tonight. :(

Okay, I have to write a paper. Muah. Love you!

xoxo,
Alyssa

P.S. What I want my life to look like: http://lovinglivingsmall.blogspot.com/

SHOES. OMG SHOES.

Okay, my horror since Tuesday night has subsided.

I got SHOES. Not just any shoes. Birthday shoes. Nine West, five-inch platform Vasca pumps. Shoes that have, in fact, appeared on Gossip Girl. They are gorgeous, dahling, and I'll have pictures soon. They are the closest thing to "Fuck me" heels I've ever acquired. :)

This is a short update, I know, but there's not much else to tell.

Love you!

-Alyssa

ETA: Me, Robin, and Robin's best friend Sam (who is visiting with his lovely girlfriend Jessie) did really well tonight at the Epic Pop Culture Battle. We got second place, which means a pint of free ice cream, $40 to the Ottobar (where I met The Doctor who blew me off. Twice.), and free bus tickets to NYC whenever we want! :) Pretty cool, if I do say so myself.

ETA2: I have a warm spot on the back of the left side of my ribcage. :)

Election '08

I know you all voted--at least, I'm pretty sure. Ab? Bri? And I DEFINITELY know we didn't always agree. No matter the outcome, I love you guys and have only the utmost respect for you.

(But if Obama does win I'll still cry and be glad I'll be in Italy when he's inaugurated.)

But seriously. You guys are awesome people, and I love you so much! :)

I hope you all voted, and I'll talk to you when we have a new president elect.

xo,
Alyssa

P.S. Gossip Girl, anyone? Amazing? Blair/Chuck win and Jenny is a moron? Anyone? :P