Happy Birthday, Upsilon!

This week will be the official move into Spring, I can feel it. I mean, it's April now, so the universe doesn't really have a choice... knock on wood. This morning there were minuscule flurries, but then the sun came out this afternoon, so that was encouraging. Even if it snows tonight (again, knock on wood), the next few days I've heard are supposed to be pretty nice and what they're supposed to be this time of year.

Enough weather! This past week Kappa Delta has had two national officers on campus, one for our Official Visit and the other to help us with all the reports that were due today. Since our chapter has only been national a year (to this day! Happy Birthday, Upsilon!!!!!!!!), we have more officer visits so we have enough support while figuring this all out. It's been a chaotic and amazing year, and I can't wait for the years to come!

Ebb and flow

Boy, this has been a semester of learning my limits as far as involvement goes. From here on out my weeks are packed/empty until the end of the year. Appreciating free time when it comes has never been more important, and I'm definitely getting better at recognizing and capitalizing during those moments. All that aside, this past weekend was quite a bit of fun. I relaxed all Saturday, going to see the Muppet Movie in the evening with Emma Ramsbottom '10.

(Here's Kermit the Frog and Fozzy Bear in the front seat with Emma and my favorite Muppet couple, Gonzo and Camilla the Chicken, in the back)

That night I went out to the C-haus to dance with a couple friends to an awesome visiting DJ that comes to campus every now and then. On Sunday I celebrated Easter a few ways, most of them involving food in some context. I started by going to church and then having an Easter egg hunt for Theater for Social Action (thanks, Brandon, for helping me hide them... there are probably still a couple there). I also had an egg hunt for my friend (who is, for all intensive purposes, my grandson), Steve... he happens to be Jewish, but a healthy respect and fondness for each other means that we've been able to learn and experience each other's religions a little. Then Angie came to visit me and watch last week's America's Best Dance Crew, and upon arrival we discovered that my parents had had an Easter basket delivered to me. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

(This is reminiscent of the baskets my brother and I used to have when we were kids- I loved picking jelly beans out of the green plastic easter grass stuffed inside the Bunny's belly :) )

That night I had a junk food binge party to celebrate the end of lent, for the duration of which I had given up junk food and pizza. There was an intimidating spread of delicious things available, including (but not limited to) 5 pizzas (with 4 on call), sesame chicken, sweet and sour chicken, vegetable lo mein, fried rice, brownies, cake, ice cream, garlic and parmasean fries, mini corn dogs, chips, cheetos, girl scout cookies, cinnamon rolls, donuts, candy, and peeps. I almost wish I were joking. It was a fantastical meal, filled with every good thing one could think of. Except pie. But then, that just would have been over the top. ;) Thanks, friends, for helping me eat it all! The evening ended with a great group of people chatting and watching Hair, which happens to be my mom's favorite movie.

I hope everyone's weekends were happy and the coming week won't be too crazy! Have fun!

I stand on the precipice

This weekend was very healing and beautiful! I finally feel like I can breath a bit, which is exciting! Don't get me wrong, I'm still pretty busy, but there's a little less pressure. This weekend was full of Kappa Delta things: traditions night, initiation, elections, and mucho bonding time. Love you, ladies! Also, there was a Voodoo Barbie performance that was extremely high energy and overall went well. Here's the gang with a cookie cake that Liz's mom brought for us, with the words "Voodoo Barbie is sick" frosted onto it. Thanks, mama Ziner!



Then on Sunday a Theater for Social Action meeting that proved to me just how little time there is before our performance- eesh! The rest of the year's going to be an exciting adventure, and I'm excited for all that's to come. Woohoo!

Busiest I've ever been.

I'm the busiest I've ever been. Just thought I'd note it so I can look back later on and decide if that's a true statement or not. Here's something that I wish actually existed to help me get through this weekend:



I guess I'll just have to stick with a good ol' cup of joe.

You know Spring Break's over when...

You all know how I feel about lists, and yet I always feel the need to let you know when one's coming. This post will be a return to said form, a favorite with which to follow breaks. Here you have it:
You Know Spring Break's Over When:
1- Not only are you no longer in sunny California, but you returned to below freezing windchills and snow
2- You can't sit on your bum all day with your improv troupe, watching America's Best Dance Crew and eating hummus

3- The thought of maybe going to sit by the pool and nap for an hour is only a thought and not an actual physical possibility
4- Your roomate tells you to clean your half of the room... again. And it's only the first day back.

5- You realize you didn't actually do any of the work you had intended, meaning you're probably on the right track for sleep deprivation... you know, that slightly groggy feeling that went away when you were sleeping 10-12 hours a day and you didn't even need the snooze button

6- Your first professor of the day is red as a tomato from climbing a volcano in Ecuador
7- Games in varying forms (board games, card games, etc.) seem a figment of the intelligent and lucky imagination

8- All of your clean clothes are in your hamper because you're too lazy to hang them up, but none of them are dirty right now, so who cares anyway?
9- Your first after break deadline used to be weeks away and is now suddenly, shockingly, tomorrow afternoon
and 10- After 19 years of life, you've discovered Law and Order marathons on TV, but no matter how sexy you may think Elliot is, you just don't have time anymore to marinate and properly enjoy the juicy arranged marriage, murder, and custody battle soaked drama (warning: plot points vary every hour, on the hour)

If your Spring Break is yet to come, I hope it's as relaxing as mine was and that is will be a little less jarring upon your return to active responsibility.

(Here's another picture option from google for a "messy room" picture that I found amusing:

The sweater! The hair! The bandaids! The lack of actual mess! And is that a UNICORN in that painting? The title of this is "Teenage girl standing in messy room". I'll let you decide whether or not that's a fitting title for this work of art.)

Spring, I can taste it!

I saw my first flock of geese today! It was an exciting moment, and it made me think of a poem I'm fond of:

Something Told the Wild Geese

Something told the wild geese
It was time to go.
Though the fields lay golden
Something whispered - "Snow."
Leaves were green and stirring,
Berries, luster-glossed,
But beneath warm feathers
Something cautioned - "Frost."
All the sagging orchards
Steamed with amber spice,
But each wild breast stiffened
At remembered ice.
Something told the wild geese
It was time to fly -
Summer sun was on their wings,
Winter in their cry.

Rachel Field
©1957

Well, it doesn't quite apply here. I could try to write one about spring. Let's see...

Something told the wild geese
It was time to come
Though gray sky hovered
Something began to hum
Snow was ripe for sledding,
Ice a mirror made
But despite this wonder
Something at them bade

The next great poet can finish that sometime in the future.

This week is midterms, which means Spring Break is too close for comfort. Meaning, I know I won't actually be able to relax until Friday comes. When it does, however, I will be in shock. What will I do for 9 days? Probably write a couple papers and finish my study abroad application. After that, however, it will be bliss! Just think, I can actually sit around and do nothing for a bit. Granted, it won't be completely mind-numbing. This coming weekend Voodoo Barbie is performing at the Self Employment in the Arts Conference in Naperville, Illinois. It's a little nerve wracking to branch off campus, but thrilling at the same time. After that I head home for 2 days, then I'm flying to California with a couple friends. A few days there, then back home for a day and finally to Beloit. Can't wait! I have instructions from my Dad to go to this beef jerky place in Cali and bring him home a bit of teriyaki lime flavored jerky. Will do! Currently, this is my only plan for my time spent on the coast. Man, I can practically feel the vitamin D my skin so desperately craves.

Speaking of parents, mine visited me this weekend and saw me perform in the Vagina Monologues. We had a nice time, and there's nothing like talking about sex and violence and women's empowerment in front of those that raised you! It was a beautiful production, and I was happy that they could be here for it. Here's a picture my dad took of the cast bow:

Yay ending violence against women!

Barack the vote!

Yesterday was an extremely politically charged day here at Beloit. Two major political figures were on campus: Chelsea Clinton and Barack Obama.

Chelsea spoke in the early afternoon, answering several questions about her mother's policies. One student asked if she was planning to run for President in 8 years, but she said her political aspirations only went so far as to actively campaign for her mother in this election. Liz Ziner, '10, got to meet her afterwards with a small group of students and ask some more questions one on one. What cool opportunity! One of the most interesting pieces of Chelsea's talk was hearing her say that she had waited for quite some time before deciding to support her mother as a candidate. She wanted to make sure that she believed in what she was endorsing. It was neat to hear that she's just as careful about her politics as the rest of us; that her family ties didn't automatically make the decision for her. Here's a picture of a group of Kappa Deltas and Miss Clinton. This was on the front page of the Beloit Daily News this morning:


Then, as soon as Chelsea finished, a large group of my friends ran to the sports center where Obama was set to speak in 6 hours. We passed the time (the first hour of which was outside in the freeeezing cold) by playing a card game that Angie Bonilla, '10, had brought along, singing various tunes (the louder the better!), and snuggling as best we could under blankets. Obama spoke for 45 minutes, and if you needed proof that he was at Beloit, here's a picture of him in our gym (Go Bucs!):

THAT IS CRAZY!!! We were so close to him! I can't even begin to explain what an experience it was. The flood arena was packed past capacity, the energy was so positive and lively it made everyone really emotional and hyped up. I love his ease with speaking, the way he worked the entire crowd- young and old, student and working citizen. He certainly knows how to give a speech! The words thrilling, inspirational, historical, and motivational come to mind. After Obama was done speaking, he came down and shook hands with people in the crowd (including mine, yipee!). Angie was very excited and moved and had been crying most of his speech. Here he is meeting her afterwards:

He called her sweetheart :)

Favorite quote from his speech:
"Cynicism is a sorry kind of wisdom."

Yesterday was a momentous adventure, blessing, and crazy opportunity. I am so thankful and lucky to have this experience and to have shared it with my school and with my wonderful friends.

Also, I voted today.
:)