| The Journey |
[10 May 2011|12:00am] |
One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice--
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do--
determined to save
the only life you could save.
Mary Oliver
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[24 Nov 2008|11:12pm] |
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mood |
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I did it.
It feels awesome.
And now... to pack! I'll be on a plane home in... nine hours!
I am absolutely overjoyed right now. 50,000 words and I'm only halfway through the story. I... I am just beyond words, you guys.
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| Well. |
[04 Nov 2008|10:25pm] |
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mood |
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music |
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CNN |
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It's over. That's it.
This was my first time voting in a presidential election. The first time I voted for president, I voted for a black man. Barack Obama will be the 44th president of the United States. I... I know I voted for him, but in all honesty, I'm not terribly confident. The mess our country's in right now will take more than 4 years to fix.
Mr. Obama spoke a lot about change. Without a doubt... this will be a change.
Here's hoping it's for the better. Here's hoping, against all the odds, things in America will improve over the next four years. I'm skeptical. I'm sure plenty others are. But... one can certainly hope.
Right now, them's the facts. It's over. For better or worse.
Here's hoping, guys. I mean... can it get any worse? Or will this change be a different kind of worse? Just a worse we're not used to after eight years of Bush? I am legitimately worried. Chances are I'd be not only worried but infuriated if McCain won. I... I really don't know. This shit is all just incredibly surreal right now.
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| Writer's Block: Novel Ideas |
[01 Nov 2008|01:57pm] |
In this werewolf-centric western tale, three brothers struggle to live up to their father's expectations and do what they feel is right, while the regular folk in town are forced to act as pawns or the occasional dinner.
Oh yeah.
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| HEARTBROKEN |
[23 Oct 2008|04:19pm] |
You guys. Coheed & Cambria has been my favorite band for... what, 6+ years now? They've embarked on the most epic tour they will ever have in YEARS called Neverender (I know, right) where they will play each of their four albums, one night after the other, one album a night, plus VIP acoustic shit and all that good stuff. There are like... four shows - New York's first night was yesterday, they're going to Chicago and LA.
I FUCKING SHOULD BE THERE. WHY AM I NOT IN NEW YORK RIGHT NOW. WHY AM I NOT IN NEW YORK RIGHT NOW OH MY GODDDDDD.
Yes, the New York shows are being filmed, of course - but I SHOULD BE THERE. I, SHOULD, BE THERE.
;_; I am so incredibly and profoundly DEPRESSED and full of ANGST AND SADNESS.
I don't care that the dates didn't work out and that it would have been supremely expensive - fuck, I bet I could've stayed with one of my many relatives in NY for a few days, they would've fed and driven me, too - BUT NO. THANKS, COLLEGE. THANKS, SELF, FOR FAILING TO GET INTO A COLLEGE OF YOUR CHOICE IN NEW YORK. God knows IF I WAS IN NEW YORK I WOULD DRIVE MY ASS DOWN TO SEE THIS AUUUGGGHHH. AAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH.
FUCK, YOU GUYS. FUCK. =(
Okay. This is absolutely final. After Neverender, Coheed's going back into the studio to work on the final album in the concept. Once the final album is done - with the entire story complete, and the massive success of the present Neverender tour and the killing I'm sure they'll make off DVD/CDs and related merch, there is no way in hell they won't do something like this (several-night concert series where they play everything chronologically) again in the next few years.
WHEN THIS HAPPENS AGAIN. WITH ALL OF YOU, INTERNET, AS MY WITNESS - I WILL FUCKING BE THERE WITH A GODDAMN MOTHERFUCKIN VIP TICKET. I WILL NEVER MISS ANYTHING THIS EPIC EVER AGAIN OH MY GOD.
I AM SO FUCKING UPSET AND SAD AND SHIT RIGHT NOW, OH MY GOD, I CAN'T EVEN ARTICULATE IT. OH MY GOD. I WANT TO CRY AND DRINK AWAY MY SADNESS. =(
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| Gustav Evacuation Blog, Day 2 |
[01 Sep 2008|01:50am] |
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mood |
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 exhausted |
] |
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music |
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Intervention - Arcade Fire |
] |
...Even though technically, I guess it's day 3 already? Well.
Jackson was utterly miserable. Could hardly sleep - woke up with at least seven knots in my back. To further complicate things, President [of the University] Cowen announced that Tulane would not reopen on the 3rd as planned, and is instead shooting to resume class on the 8th. With that considered, I decided to get my ass back home. The number of kids residing in the gym seemed to dwindle by the hour, and I made my leave as soon as I could get my things together.
The Mississippi airport was remarkably tiny. Also, damn near empty. I managed to score earlier flights - first to Dallas, and then to Seattle from Dallas.
I met a number of interesting people in the airport. Wearing a Tulane shirt was a good conversation starter, haha. I would give more details and upload some photos... but I'm completely exhausted. So, this is just an update to say that I'm safe and cozy back home, where I'll be until Tulane reopens their doors. God willing, that'll be sooner rather than later.
My dad, being neurotic as he is, apparently gave the University of Washington a call. On the offchance that Gustav mangles the city to the point where Tulane is closed for the semester... well, hopefully I'll be able to make something work. I'm really crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. Don't get me wrong, I certainly wouldn't mind it... but Tulane is my school, damnit.
Think I'm going to head to bed. Too tired to keep eyes open. More tomorrow, or something. Here's hoping for the best.
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| Gustav Evacuation Blog, Day 1 |
[30 Aug 2008|04:51pm] |
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mood |
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music |
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Ice Monster - Minus the Bear |
] |
Greetings from Jackson State University gym, everybody! My little Gustav evacuation adventure has finally begun properly. I got up early this morning to finish taking care of my room - namely, stripping my bed, putting the last of my things away, packing up the last of what needed to be packed. Bruff was closed, but had tables of prepacked muffins and sandwiches and the like. Snacked on some of that while waiting.
We were told to meet in the lobby at 9am. Likewise, we were told that buses would be leaving at 9am. This was not the case! Rather, we met at 9 in the lobby and... waited. They were calling people to register for the buses by dorm, so... waited. There were about 20 kids from Wall who were bus-bound. We sat waiting in the lobby watching Spiderman cartoons, MTV, and Jon Stewart until 10:45 or so.
Then, we made the long trek to the gym. It's not more than a five minute walk, but it was goddamn hot and everyone was lugging all their crap with them. Then, of course, we had to climb up the mountain of stairs, lugging EVERYTHING with us, to "register". This consisted of more waiting, bright pink wristbands, and TUPD searching through all our luggage, and then finally sitting at a computer and entering a string of information into an excel spreadsheet. When all was said and done, I wasn't sitting in the bus until 11:30 and we didn't leave until 12.
Bus ride was mostly uneventful. Took about three and a half hours, give or take. After we arrived, we had to wait again (seeing a theme here) and got new wristbands, that was it. I followed a friend I made on the bus up to a box-seat type cut-out thingy in the gym where his friends were holed up. Soon got kicked out of there. Am now plugged into a tangled mass of ethernet cords and power cords! There is wireless in here, but it's pretty shitty. So, yeah. That's the story!
Apparently Gustav is getting worse. But also apparently, he is heading west of New Orleans. Regardless - my plan remains the same. If school doesn't reopen on the 3rd, as planned (which seems like it'll be the case...) then I will be on a plane to Seattle on the 3rd and spend the rest of my hurrication at home.
I'm not feeling terribly optimistic right now. I'm annoyed, I'm tired, I have a headache, and I want to go home. Gah. Think I'm going to go find some snacks.
No pictures this time, sorry - nothing too exciting just yet, I promise.
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| Gustav Evacuation Blog, Day -1 |
[29 Aug 2008|10:00pm] |
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mood |
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anxious |
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music |
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Gimmie Shelter - The Rolling Stones |
] |
Hello, internets! This is a public entry - exciting, I know. Well, for those of you just tuning in, here's the scoop. My name is Stephanie, I'm a second-year student at Tulane University, and I'm being evacuated from campus and New Orleans due to Hurricane Gustav's approach. I tell you, it's a goddamn bizarre situation. It feels surreal. I am annoyed, anxious, frustrated - and somewhat excited. I decided to keep an account of my evacuation adventure here on my lj, complete with pictures. For the lulz, for my own amusement, because I feel like it, whatever!
So - Gustav. Kudoes for giving me something to blog about. D:
Tulane announced that it would be closing just a few days ago, much to my annoyance. I had only had two days of class. My schedule is pretty hellish (Neuroscience major/premed student, taking calculus, organic chemistry, french, and cellular neuroscience) - but I was figuring out the swing I had to get into. I was excited! I had all my homework schedules taped to my wall and made some epic checklists. I was set, determined, and ready to take this hardest-semester-of-my-life and kick it in the balls.
And then, along comes Gustav to rain on my parade. Suddenly I'm not worrying about reading two chapters in my orgo book or trying to remember the French classes I took three years ago, but trying to figure out where the hell I'm going. So, I call up my parents to see what they think. First, my dad was looking for flights to Seattle. No dice. Next, he was looking for flights to New York, where I could stay with relatives. There were flights... but eh. The other option was Tulane-provided buses from school to Jackson State University in Mississippi. Since at this point it seemed like it was much ado over nothing, we decided I'd go on the bus. Save the plane fare for if it became serious - so, I've got a plane ticket out of Mississippi.
As of right now, assuming that nothing terrible happens, Tulane's plan is to reopen on September 3rd. My plane ticket is for the 3rd as well - so basically, if the shit hits the fan and they don't reopen campus, I'm outta there. Either way, I'm safe. The few valuables I have are all coming with me. I spent today hurricane-proofing my room to the best of my ability, which more or less entails hiding everything in the big ole' wardrobes that are bolted to the wall and floor and moving everything away from the window. I also lugged my bike up here.
I'm not too concerned about my room, really. The dorm building I live in, Wall, stood through Katrina with minimal damage (and no broken windows). I'm on the second floor, so I highly doubt flooding will be an issue, even in a shit-hits-the-fan scenario. TV, printer, alarm clock - all those things are wrapped up and safe. So no worries there.
It's all just one big goddamn inconvenience at this point, or at least that's what it feels like. I'm annoyed that I still have to do homework, annoyed I have to haul textbooks with me to finish reading assignments... annoyed! Grah! It's like the reality of the situation hasn't quite hit me yet. I just feel growly and have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I don't think New Orleans is ready for this. Campus was dead and eerie, quiet and tense. Here, have some empty-campus pictures! Sorry the quality's pretty crappy - relying on photobucket to resize and compress isn't the best idea... and the first three show how absurdly humid it is out. Lens got fogged up a few steps out the door!
( Couple photos from today. )
Thanks for all those who've wished me luck and such already. I'll try to keep you all posted, be it here or by phone, as I'm not sure what the conditions will be at Jackson State... I can't help but doubt there will be wireless, haha! Anyway, here's hoping for the best. To all those out there who're in the Gulf coast area, the same well wishes go out to the lot of you. Get out of here safely and with any luck, Gustav won't be as bad as they're saying. Here's hoping, alright.
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[12 Jul 2008|12:23am] |
THE ONLY POINT OF THIS POST IS MY JOY.
-I got paid today. I kept procrastinating depositing my first paycheck, so tomorrow I will put both in my savings. VERY GOOD.
-Work was okay!
-BUT THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST?
-I AM SEEING THE DARK KNIGHT. A MIDNIGHT SHOW. FOR FREE. SPECIAL STAFF SCREENING. SO IT WON'T BE EVEN A LITTLE BIT CROWDED. I am so happy I seriously cannot CONTAIN MY JOY.
-It will not be fun... since I am leaving for New York the morning of the 18th (like, uh, 5-6am) and The Dark Knight is like, uh, over two and a half hours LULZ. BUT I DON'T CARE.
-I AM SEEING THE DARK KNIGHT
-I AM SEEING THE DARK KNIGHT, AT MIDNIGHT, FOR FREE, THURSDAY
-SO HAPPY
-BULLET POINTS
-AND I JUST REMEMBERED I HAVE A TICKET TO SEE NINE INCH NAILS ON THE 26TH WITH ZINOU.
-LIFE IS ACTUALLY WONDERFUL
-But I think I somehow pulled a muscle in my shoulder because it hurts like a downright bitch
-BUT IT'S OKAY. DARK KNIGHT. DARK KNIGHT. DARK KNIIIIIIGGGGHHHHTTTTT.
... we now continue with your previously scheduled programming!
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