I'm on my way!

I've taken the first steps in my big move to Cambridge. I brought a whole car-load of stuff to my mom's house this weekend that's going to be in storage while I live in Cambridge. The majority of that car-load was made up of my books. It pains me to be without them, but I kept a choice few with me that I'm hoping to read in the relatively near future. Plus, there are these new-fangled things called "public libraries" that I suspect I'll be able to access whilst in Cambridge. So, I should be able to keep myself supplied with books. In fact, the main branch of the Cambridge Public Library is less than a 15 minute walk away from my new apartment.

Now that I'm finally making progress on the move (I've also contacted some movers and I'm working on a game plan for The Big Day), I'm feeling a lot less stressed and a lot more excited about living there. Before this, my nerves about moving had been outweighing the excitement, but now that's switched and I'm really looking forward to it. Not to mention that I'm looking forward to selling my car, which means a) no longer having all the expenses that go with a car and b) getting some extra funds from the sale. Good stuff! Because it's all about money, of course.

I'm going to Cambridge tomorrow night for a "practice run" at being roomies with my future apartment-mates. Of course, we don't really need a practice run, but I had to go there for the night anyway so we figured we'd play it up. I'll be there for the night because on Wednesday I've got to go to a Simmons Advising Day. I'm looking forward to getting oriented on campus and to signing up for classes and setting up my plan of study. It should be a good day, if I can just keep myself from being too nervous.

After spraining my ankle pretty badly a couple of weeks ago, I'm finally feeling mostly better... and just in the nick of time for having to traipse around Cambridge and Boston tomorrow and Wednesday! Things are looking up! :)

Even Your Favorite Music Artists Have To Grow Up....

So I was doing one of my favorite things today- browsing through iTunes- when I remembered that in two recent TV shows I could have sworn I heard a couple of my absolute favorite artists: Rocky Votolato and Patrick Park.

Now, I have never owned tons of their music, but I desperately love each and every track I have bought; and it was with great sadness that I waited one year, two years, and then three years to get some brand-new music (even though they released stuff in the meantime, I never seemed to be on the right bandwagon to tune in).

And they BOTH have released new albums within the past six months- and Patrick Park even had a song featured on the season finale of Grey's Anatomy! And you know what? I previewed both new albums on iTunes, and they ROCKED!!!

I haven't bought the whole albums yet- part of me remembers that I only bought a few songs originally (but as I also know, it can take me a few years to warm up to an artist- take Spoon for example- that took me almost four years to really decide I loved them, and now I can't help but love every song they release). Another part of me fears how I will now perceive these two artists- originally I had my wonderful little view, unmarred by any sub-par tracks and was simply some fave picks for the lazy nights... but now I'm going to have a full picture of what they sound like.

Will I remember how it felt to hear that first song by them? Or will it just be lost in the throng that I will soon possess? Will I get the same sense of nostalgia when one of their songs plays- especially since both artists were discovered in the France year, which always makes me insanely nostalgic anyways? Or will that all change.

Part of me wants to run to my room and listen to all the songs I first owned, just to capture that feeling one more time; but part of me is excited to plunge forward to see what comes next. A pretty good metaphor for growing up and living your life, right?

It makes me realize that I'm not the only one that has to grow up- everything that influences your life keeps growing up and moving forward; I can't let myself fall behind, now can I? But I can take a moment in homage of the first time I heard those golden chords.

(Side note- Just heard a Patrick Park lyric that said: "Oh, it's time to let go of everything we used to know/Ideas that strengthen who we've been/It's time to cut ties that won't ever free our minds/From the chains and shackles that they're in." Pretty perfect, if you ask me)

Bookity Book Books!

So I will admit... the new world of technology and film, television, and music entertainment have always held me in thrall, and this past year has been no exception. I've watched my fair share of TV shows (Bones, Fringe, House, Dollhouse, Weeds, Leverage, Psych, White Collar, In Plain Sight, Life Unexpected, Justified, Chuck, Cougar Town, Parenthood, Glee, Castle, Lost, Lie to Me- just to name a few!), and with my new Netflix subscription, I get plenty of movie watching in too! Plus who can resist updating statuses or finding new music for the daily car ride- it takes up a hefty chunk of time! Not to mention my more responsible duties like working, purchasing groceries, etc.

Sadly, this has left little time for one of my favorite things: books, and reading. Now, don't get me wrong- working for a book vendor means I get to do a lot with books- but for someone who loves trashy romance, sci-fi, and young adult chic lit, learning about academic titles all day doesn't really contribute to my usual joy of books.

But this weekend has changed all that. With most of my TV show season finales behind me, and a three-day weekend to indulge, I finished one book I was reading and just today read two more! *Sigh*, life is complete!

And now with the advent of my sister's and my new book club, it's almost like reading is mandatory! I feel this will be a very productive book-reading summer! :)

My First Farewell

So, today I had to say my first goodbye in what is sure to be a long line of them. Despite my insistence that I want to leave New Hampshire and have an adventure (and I do, don't get me wrong), I also realize that I've really found a comfortable life here. I care a lot about the people I know, the things I do, the places I go... and now I have to say goodbye to them all and start over. I won't be totally starting from scratch, but it won't be easy (especially because I'm notoriously bad at making this type of transition).

Anyway, in mid-August I'm going to have to turn my world upside-down and move away from the life that I've just started building here. It's sad and exciting at the same time, and tonight I'm feeling more sad than excited. I had my last yoga class, and I really, really adore the instructor, Kristen, and I'm honestly very upset about the fact that I won't see her anymore. Not to mention that I'll just miss the class itself, too (and Stacy, Seth, Kelli, and Sondra, my constant companions in that class). As I left class tonight, I was holding back tears... and it didn't help that Kristen was sad to see me go, as well. And of course once I got in the car, I wasn't very successful at holding the tears back.

When I leave in August, I'm going to have to say goodbye to a really big number of people... I guess that's normal when you live and work somewhere for a while. I'm thinking of all my colleagues and friends, my roomie, and my surrogate family members, and I realize that the last week of work is going to consist mainly of me running to the bathroom to sob at random moments (and quite often).

The annoying part is that it's not like I'm going THAT far away, and I'll be able to visit pretty often. It's not like I'm really saying a permanent goodbye to any of these people... but I'm sad to give up a life that has finally seemed natural and good to me. I struggled to feel comfortable for most of my life, and now that I've found a situation that suits me I have to give it up. I'm doing it for good (and inevitable) reasons, but I'm not particularly happy about it at the moment. And although the city will be a fun adventure, I sincerely doubt that this country bumpkin is going to take to it quickly or permanently. Don't worry, NH, I'll be back soon.

True Blood True Blood True Blood!

So I uber adore viking vamp Eric in the Sookie Stackhouse books and in the show; I admit that I've done my share of drooling and Googling to get some rockin' pictures of this man all vamped up- but, it is amazing what you come across when you dig a little deeper.

In my meanderings today, I found the below gem:

"Comic Con attendees and observant fans eagerly awaiting True Blood Season 2 Episode 7 (titled Release Me) peeped an extended teaser this weekend that appears to drop some interesting bombshells.

Fangirls and Sookie/Eric shippers (represent!) will be most intrigued by a split-second shot of a very contended Sookie in bed with what appears to be OMG our favorite viking vampire Sheriff of Area 5 (1:23). Also spotted in the teaser- vamp advocate and Bill Maher guest Nan Flanagan looking less than Today-show ready, Sookie laying her smack down on “vampire ho” Lorena, and Maryann pulling her bail yo’ ass out of jail schtick. Another disturbing snippet sees Eric writhing in pain whilst shackled to an altar in silver chains. Nooooo!

Amid the respective cries of “Beeeeel!” and “Suckeh!” it’s pretty difficult to work out any real spoilers, and we all know HBO is staffed with wizards when it comes to creating misleading and action filled trailers. It was honestly the most exciting 1:37 of my life.

Comic-Con also saw the unveiling of a new product tie-in for the show- a replica of Tru Blood that’s really a blood orange soda priced at $4 a bottle. And one last note for book fans- series creator Alan Ball put the kibosh on any hopes of seeing the undead man from Memphis on the small screen. Ball feels it would be impossible to suspend disbelief enough on TV to have beloved Bubba be a viable character on the show adaptation. Burn.

While topping episode 6 (Hard Hearted Hannah, as crooned by Guillame) will be pretty hard, episode 7 looks like it’s going to be pretty fierce, too."

My favorite part of this little description- the imitation of how they say Bill and Sookie (my favorite thing to make fun of on this show). It doesn't get much better. Also sad that there's no Bubba! He kind of rocks the book page. Plus, I kinda wanna try a bottle of Tru Blood... and my spellcheck just missed that "kinda" and "wanna" are not actually words. Oh, the fall of grammar! I saw someone spell it "grammer" today who was talking about spelling mistakes on a Chinese takeout menu... but I ramble.

Screw you, Simmons!

Okay, so, I love Simmons and I'm excited to go there... but I'm seriously upset with the admissions department.

Last Monday I submitted an application for a fellowship that was perfect for me (and I was perfect for it!). On the information sheet about the fellowship on Simmons' website, it states that "review of applications will begin on April 1st." This did not suggest to me that April 1st was the final deadline to submit by. Am I just being a dunce? Either way, I didn't submit until the 12th, thinking that it would be fine (unless some stellar candidate had already been offered the job). I guess I was figuring that because they'd want to do interviews with candidates and so forth that they didn't have a real solid ending deadline - that basically it was open until filled, with the understanding that applications would be considered in the order they were received, with no applications being considered before April 1st.

I guess I'm just a moron, because I just got an email that said I wasn't being considered for the fellowship because I missed the deadline. It would help a lot if they made it clear that there WAS a final deadline.

I'm not really sure what to do. I sent an email back explaining that they should probably make the deadline clear for future years' applicants... but I'm not sure if I should badger them more and try to convince them to consider me, or if I should just let it go and not be a pain in the ass.

But I'm so good at being a pain in the ass. Just yesterday I suggested to our landlord that if they don't fix up some of the shit that's wrong with this place we shouldn't have to pay full rent. She didn't seem to like that very much. Too bad.

Anyway, I'm really, seriously upset about this and will probably bite the head off the next person who so much as breathes wrong near me. Good thing I'm home alone. I'll just take out my anger by typing REALLY HARD. That'll show 'em.

Maybe I'll start a petition to get considered for it. I mean, I could easily get, like, 7.5 signatures. That should be enough, right?

I have to say this. I just have to.

You know those couples who have been together since high school (or even earlier) and they are STILL together even after college?

Well, I can't help but wonder what's wrong with them.

Seriously. Talk about being co-dependent.

Eh, but I'm obviously biased on the subject.