The weekend...

Oh my goodness I am tired!!

I was up ueber late doing project work for my contemporary literature class....but it paid off! The presentation went very well!! I'm so glad. Plus the topic is so cool, and I'm really excited to write my paper for it. My roomie and I got into a really philosophical discussion regarding it last night and I have so many ideas for the paper! MY BRAIN IS A-BUZZ!

It is AWFUL on campus today. It was last night too. The kind of weather that you don't want to leave your room for anything weather.

This week will be fun--tomorrow is Relay for Life!! I'm pretty darn excited. Pizza and movie and philanthropy....

So Zach and I did end up going home Saturday, and though it was a short visit, it was fun. I was able to drop off one application, and though the others couldn't be filled because I was short a reference, I was contacted by the people I used to babysit for last night and she gave me the go-ahead!! I called them while they were on a cruise!! Lucky ducks...Anyway, it was lovely seeing my parents and getting a delicious meal in, and seeing my brother. Ethan has "viral pinkeye" and it is NASTY. He has cold-like symptoms and instead of his eyes being guey and crusted they are just blood-shot. Kinda creepy, really. But yes. We watched the movie "Rainman," which was wonderful, and then Sunday morning my mom made me and Zach an awesome breakfast. Loved it!!

I ran yesterday, to my delight. I got three miles in and I currently feel great. I did finally, FINALLY cave today and got myself a Mocha though. However, I looked up the calories on the Starbucks website and learned it wasn't as bad as I thought, just not great. Oh well!! I have to splurge every now and again, and for not having a Mocha for 2+ years, I think I'm doing okay.

The end of the week!!!

Ahhhhh it is so gorgeous outside! The sun is shining and I'm comfortable in jeans, a sweatshirt, and flip flops!! Hooray!

This weekend shall be lovely. We are unfortunately not going home at all to see my Aunt and Uncle and Grandma, but perhaps next weekend we'll head into Milwaukee! I guess this way I'll have more down time and I can sleep a little bit more (yaaay catch up!!). Tonight Zach and I have a pizza/movie date, which should be fun. I'm not sure which film yet, but hopefully it is a comedy! I need a good laugh, even if my throat does hurt.

Tomorrow Zach and I will spend doing homework in the library, and hopefully we'll run in the afternoon. There's a lacrosse game tomorrow around 11 or noon, so we may go to that as well--it could be really fun! I'm not sure yet, I think it depends on how much homework we have!

And then Sunday is Easter! I know the commons is doing a nice Easter brunch. I hope the deviled eggs are going to be tasty--I LOVE deviled eggs. Oh so good.

::sneezes::. Oh gosh. I hate this. I'm doing everything right! Taking vitamins, sleeping, eating oranges like crazy...bahhhhh.

Initiation went well--Congrats to our newest member Sarah Wimmer! Woot woot! It did go pretty late though...so there goes my sleep theory...

WELL. I'm off to my room. Time to clean it! Clothing just accumulates over time....

--Julia

More to Come Later!

Me and Zach at his formal! Hooray!

Okay, well I just wanted to upload that quick before class. I'm going to head to Starbucks for some type of coffee drink, then astronomy, then more class...then work....then I will be locked away in the library forever!!!

Later, I believe,

Julia

Oh What a Night

Here is the sophomore class, all of us but two!! We're such a big class!!!

AHHHHHHHHH FORMAL WAS AMAZING!!

I had oh so much fun. Twas a blast. I love dancing! Also, Zach and I got the "cutest couple" award at formal! I was pleased as pink...and in pink, come to think of it!

Here is a "family photo" with our dates. Missy is my big sister, wearing the one shouldered black dress with her boyfriend Ken, I'm in the middle with Zach, and my little, Emily, is to the right of us with her boyfriend Bill. So cute!

Oh yes.

So this weekend is Zach's formal, which will be fantastic! Two fun weekends in a row!! And then more to follow! I'm so excited. Also nervous--how am I going to do my hair???!! I will have to figure that one out Friday evening...

So this week has been going fairly decently. This afternoon was really, really fun though. In contemporary lit again we had an author visit, so the 2 hours flew by! Her name is Susan Power and she is a Native American author, but really spent her life growing up in Chicago. She was SO FUN. I want to be her best friend. She is my favorite visitor, I think! Tonight her reading will be held down in Rodman, so that'll be a fun hike this evening...::grumble::. Ah well. It will be an adventure.

I'm off! My non-stop Wednesday is soooo far from ending!!

--Julia

Springtime?

Wow.
I cannot believe that it is March already. ALREADY! It's incredible how fast things are going!!

Life has been going fairly well. It is gloriously sunny out, but viciously cold. Thanks, Mother Nature, thanks. I am SO looking forward to spring break, however. I get to see my family for a few days, but then I head to St. Louis!! Where it will be warm. Well, warm by my standards for right now--50s and 60s. Woot woot! So excited.

I have found myself wanting to go to St. Louis. Which is odd, I feel. Odd in that I've never just wanted to go--I usually just want to go because Zach will be there. But for the first time I want to go to St. Louis for the city and the nostalgia of last year, and to have that early taste of spring. I'm going to have flashbacks like crazy when I go, I just know it. It will be fun though. Hopefully he has something fun planned for us...

Over break I have a lot to do, however, in the days that we're in Tosa...I need to find lots of job apps!! I have a huge list of places we're going to go, and I guess if I have my dentist appointment that morning I'll have minty fresh teeth to talk to potential future employers! Good plan, I feel.

I had a good talk with Patrick this afternoon; we hung out briefly after Astronomy. He went to the Starbucks with me and we chatted for a wee bit, which was wonderful, really. He can really ground me sometimes, and bring another opinion I never really consider sometimes. His no-nonsense, let's-not-beat-around-the-bushes style smacks reality into my conscious every now and again. Refreshing! Very unlike the coffee, and sorry Starbucks to knock on you again....but...

In the ranking order of the worst experiences with coffee one will have, it is this, 1 being the worst:
3. Starbucks coffee.
2. Weak-brewed coffee.
1. Weak-brewed, Starbucks coffee.

Yup, while the conversation with Patty-cakes was a nice pick-me-up, the old fashioned cup of joe was not :-( . Sad day. I'll have to remedy that in my room tonight with my faithful coffee press...

I have little 90-calorie rice pudding snacks in my room right now, and they're rather good. I just wish now that I had picked up raisins or fresh fruit in my last grocery pick-up...all in all, a fun treat.

Checking out thunderfap.com again...some more fun freebies....hmmm...

--Julia

Woohoo coffee is mah friend!

Dear readers,

I love coffee, especially from Gooseberries. Zach did make it up to me for missing our coffee date, and we went in between classes. It was really fun, and the scone we split was just amazing.

However, Friday evening was very awesome. Though Gooseberries was forgotten (boys are silly sometimes...), Zach took me to Roadhouse for a pizza and a pitcher of soda--so tasty! It was actually quite special and cute too, because we got there right as they had closed, but let us in, and made us the pizza anyway--so we got to dine there alone and it was really cute. Delicious pizza, too. Yum! Afterwards we went to Robyn's room and watched "Death to Smoochy," which is a funny movie. Patrick was there as well!

Saturday I didn't end up doing as much homework was I thought I was going to do...however, my room is SPOTLESS. I vacuumed, dusted, put things away...I feel way better having people over, haha. Which is why I had some girls over for tea and coffee, and then a double date with two freshmen, Emily and Bill. Emily is pledging, and is so sweet! I love her. And I was Bill's mentor in the FYS class, and I approve--he's a great guy. We ended up watching "Kung fu Hustle"--ridiculous movie, might I say. I laughed a lot though.

And Sunday I did homework, and Amanda finally came home! She went home (well, home-home) to Milwaukee and had a fun birthday weekend with her family, and has returned with Cheesecake and Strawberries. So tonight we're having a fun mini party!

Classes went alright today, one was canceled so that was exciting! Very exciting, actually...huzzah! Ah well. Normal schedule for the rest of the week...

Okay--I'm off!

--Julia

Friday is almost here...

Friday brings:
closure to the week
the prospect of relaxation.
joy
my weekly coffee date, and thus COFFEE (that cup will be the best thing)
hang out time with friends
hang out time with Zach
sleep
Saturday
fun
AND MOOOORE

Yes. Tomorrow, although there will be classes to go to, and work to attend to, will be good. After Astronomy and before work I'll go to my favorite coffee shop in Ripon, Gooseberries, and have the most delicious cup of coffee--hooray! Funnily enough, that's probably what I'm most excited about. After work and a bit of homework time in my room (yes, homework on a Friday--shocking!! get used to it, college-bounders), it is off to Robyn's room for a China One/Movie night. I believe we are going to watch "Death to Smoochy" !!! Such a great movie. Very excited.

Saturday will bring "Scholarship Days" on campus, and then a huge dose of homework alllllllllllll daaaaaaaaaaaay looooooooooooooooooong. I really must, however. The evening will be fun, but with Saturday comes Sunday. Hmmmmmmm.......................... GAH LIFE.

Haven't really talked about TODAY, however. Thursdays...well it's the day after the god-awful Wednesday. It wasn't as bad as I thought, but the weight of it is so much. I did get a good 8 hours of sleep, however! Very proud of myself, and will have to try to repeat that tonight.

Well, perhaps an update later today, but I will definitely be posting tomorrow. Right now I have to continue working on my admissions stuff, and eventually go to lunch. SO HUNGRY!!

--Julia

SNOW!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!


IT SNOWED! AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE! I am so happy for this first snow of the year. I was a bad person and stayed up ueber late last night (coffee at 10 is a bad idea, fyi) but I got to experience the first snow of the year just as it happened! It was light, fluffy snow, and now the campus is frosted with it ^_^. Love it.


Sorry I'm so excited about that. I just love when snow clings to the branches and rooftops...I am perhaps a little to pumped for Christmas much?


I am, however. My roomie and I have been discussing decorating the room with lights and such for the holidays. We're thinking about using blue and white for two purposes--1, it is winter friendly so we won't have to live in Christmas land all of the year, and 2--those are our sorority colors! So score for us.


This weekend ROCKED. It was formal!! And yes, while getting ready was a little hectic and stressy, we all looked fabulous. Plus, Zach was able to be there on time!!! We were worried for a bit because he had a swim meet, but he was there, ready and handsome :). I will have pictures of us up soon, but for now I have a couple of me and some sisters!here is me and Missy, my wonderful big!Here is Amanda H. (neighbor, not roomie--so confusing!) and Courtney. I'm in the middle--it is alphabetical--Hassen, Heinrich, Hollander, hence the "Ha-He-Ho Train." I look a tad bit lost...
Meh! It was very fun. I will find better, more flattering pictures (haha) soon. For now, this is all I have! Dinner and dancing at Robbin's Restaurant in Oshkosh was very fun. Loved it!

Sunday was a quiet day for me. Lots of resting and homework.

Speaking of--I gotta get going on more assignments and such. Oh...and food! Dinner sounds delish....

--Jules

Too Hot and Too Cold

So I'm wearing a T-shirt, a sweatshirt, a fleece, and hat/scarf/mittens. Provide some good warmth, but not so much when you're outside!! So I walk fast to get from building to building. Of course I get too hot though once I'm inside. Long story short, I do not adapt to temperature well. It's like, once I'm inside I need to strip off my coats immediately to be okay. I'm in my t-shirt here at work and am still warm. My latte probably doesn't help a whole lot...but yeargh!!

Pretty good latte. I haven't had one all year--I do enjoy them. I can't take Starbucks Coffee anymore. In desperation of caffeine I will probably succumb again...but I'm sorry all you Starbucks lovers out there. The coffee is disgusting. I like their specialty drinks and teas and such...but the coffee? No. It tastes burnt. Like in the roasting process they go too long.

Is this an attempt at an original, unmatched flavor that no other coffee company produces? Because...well...you got it, Starbucks! Congratulations on going out on a limb and producing the only truly nasty coffee on the market. It takes real guts to make something that is not up to standards, that no one enjoys to drink, and that defies the norm. In fact, you needn't even call it coffee. It doesn't quite cut coffee.

Sorry. It's just depressing when all you want is a good cup of coffee and you can't get it unless you make it or go into town. For convenience, like say today, it's after class and I'm headed to work, it's so easy to swoop in there and get something. Ah well.

For all of you coffee aficionados out there (in Wisconsin, though--sorry! Come visit! haha), try Alterra coffee (my favorite), Stone Creek coffee, or Ancora coffee. All are based in Wisconsin, Alterra and Stone Creek in Milwaukee, and Ancora coffee in Madison. All tasty.

Gooseberries, a coffee/craft shop in Ripon serves Ancora coffee which is awesome! Zach and I have a weekly Friday afternoon date and we go there for coffee and scones (real scones, not the muffin-like-pancakes the Starbucks in the Commons serves. Like--dry and wonderful flavorful scones). Last week we tried the brownies that they serve there. Luckily we split the brownie--it was INCREDIBLE. So rich though. I think they magically packed fudge and chocolate chunks into it, it was so glorious.

So there is my spiel to sell Gooseberries to you!
Above Gooseberries is a cute toy/fudge/ice cream shop where I believe I'll be getting some things for Christmas for Ethan (my younger brother) and other peoples...who knows???

That is what I'm so excited to do! Go Christmas shopping. I love, love, LOVE finding fun and meaningful gifts for friends and family. It's so fun for me. I even plan way in advance--I've been having ideas since October, haha.

So class today was ueber short, about 5 minutes long, actually. It was so short an email really would have sufficed. ::Sigh::. Ah well. It got me dressed and out of bed! Haha. Thursdays are nice because I get to sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep iiiiiiiin. So wonderful. Feel pretty caught up. I just have a lot to do still! I best be off soon, though. I will write tomorrow; I believe I'm stopping in to work after class tomorrow!! (yes--on a FRIDAY of all things. I'll let you know how the coffee date goes :) ).

Stay warm, drink good coffee, and have a great night!
--Julia

Tuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuesday

OH cramps. Pain. Yup.

That's that. All I want to do today is curl up with a hot water bottle and sleep. And Zach to be around. As I'm sure I've said before, Tuesdays really suck because I'm busy all day and so is Zach and we really don't get to see each other :(. I know, I know, being a silly girl. I'll hush up.

So there is a lot of news about Pirates today. Like, modern pirates. TOTALLY not as cool as yesteryear's pirates. They were so cool...well kinda. They were sorta mean. Anyhow, here's the article:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e10892ba-b4a8-11dd-b780-0000779fd18c.html

Weird! Will this be the new terror alert? Will Bush or Obama have to release a statement against pirates? Sorry I find it a little funny.

What else? I'm in my room right now, and Amanda's been watching soap operas for a bit. Well, not watching, but has it on. I guess it's okay background noise as we mill about the room.

I've been trying to search for a cozy hot water bottle online...no cigar. Except the Steiff bears, but that company is ridiculously expensive (still love it though!). I might have to make a cute cover over break!!! That'd be way fun. But not free...

I have to make myself run today. Have to. I need to do it now before dinner, House, and all of my other things I have this evening (we have a surprise from the seniors? and I have work among other things). It's gonna be a squeeze though, and it's also going to be suck-tacular. SO COLD outside. Right now I'm wearing my running stuff at work so I kind of get into a mind-set of running. I have long underwear on. Sheesh!! Walking over here I realized that I'm going to want another pair of socks, even ones that go up higher than my ankles. Gotta make it before dark!!

Which means I need to get out of here earlier. I'll have to do some more work in my room later--I have lots more of my "congratulations" letters to cut and assemble!!

Ah well, I best be off. I have lots of things to do!!!
--Julia

::sniffle::...

I have a cold. A really bad one, too. It fully set on yesterday during my classes...it was pretty awful. Head aches galore, a nose running what seems a marathon, and a frog-like throat and cough. Twas pretty awful. I'm a bit better today, not an amazing leap, but better.

Anyhow, Amanda and Melissa (Missy's roommate...speaking of Missy...she has my sherbet...) were wonderful and got me soup, and Zach heated it up for me. Then he made me go to bed around 9. I had just woken up from a 3-hour nap...He kept telling me that sleep was very important and wouldn't let me do anything else. So hooray for a good night of sleep! It certainly has helped.

So sorry about missing the blog from yesterday, I meant to get it done! However, it probably would have read something like :
"bleh...sick...goodnight."

Only had one class today, my mentorship course. It went by pretty quickly, and now I'm here at work! I'm looking so forward to this weekend and having an ueber catch-up on the sleep. So excited. Also, I am making a delicious veggie soup that will be so cozy to eat with some bread. The weather is well on its way to being quite chilly!

AUGH I'M SORRY

Hey guys!

I'm so sorry--it's been an entire WEEK. Oh I'm dumb. However, I have a good excuse:

I had a HUUUUUUGE paper due Friday. I got it done, though, if that's any consolation for your lack of reading for the past 7 days! Nine pages--yikes!

My week in brief:
Monday--nothing of note
Tuesday--same
Wednesday--same, yet heightened stress about paper
Thursday--Went to Spring Green with the FYS classes (in the "Love cluster"!) to see "Much Ado About Nothing." It was very well done by the American Players Theatre, in an outdoor theatre setting. Such a cool set-up, but E--GAD the heat was unbearable. Plus there were wasps and hornets buzzing on everyone and everything. One landed on professor Brown's head and I swear it was there for 5 minutes. So--if you ever go--bring sunscreen! A poor first year (I caught sight of her today) got the worse sunburn :( .
Friday--more stress, however finished the paper! I watched Beowulf with my Medieval History class which was a riot (I know it's supposed to be somewhat serious...but oh wow. Too funny.)

This weekend was also parents weekend, so my parents and Zach's parents FINALLY met!! It was quite exciting. I also met Nils, Ethan's German exchange student. Good times. Not a whole lot of sleep, however. Parents like early breakfast times for some reason...

Anyhow, I am so ready for some coffee and a movie. But I'm in college and will have to substitute "a movie" with "homework." Boo. Not as fun.

Wisconsin is awesome.

It is. It really really is, but it's also crazy weather-wise.

College tip #2 (and for all of you, really): if you are thinking about coming here from out of state or already live here, adopt a German phrase into your vocabulary: Zwiebel-Klammoten. Translated it means "Onion-clothes." Basically--WEAR LAYERS!!!! I told this to Zach on the way to my room today for lunch as I peeled off my sweatshirt and scarf and realized that I was too hot, even though they were wonderful to wear earlier (45 degrees this morning...yummmm).

Classes today were alright. I still am really enjoying art history--it's sooo interesting!!! I worked on notes for it while I waited for Zach to get out of his bass lesson, and then lunch...and now work! So yea....OH LIFE IS CRAZY.

Ciao for now!
--Jules

P.S. i promise to talk about this past weekend soon!