Blah blah blah

It has been a long time (for me) since I last updated. A lot has happened, but I am not feeling well at the moment so I would rather just complain. It has gotten to the point in the semester where everything is coming to a head. I am exhausted, sick, stressed out, overwhelmed, etc. I know everyone goes through this, but it's my blog and I can complain if I want! Ha. Okay, no more apologies. It was recently brought to my attention that I apologize a lot on this thing, so I am going to stop doing that (as much as I can). I guess if I annoy you, you could just not read it.

Anyway, Thanksgiving was nice. Nothing too exciting. I spent most of the weekend holed up in my dad's office writing my thesis. I got 14 pages written. Yay. Another 15 are due next Tuesday, but oh well. It'll get done. At least, I hope it will.

I want to do something fun this weekend (while not working on thesis), but I just don't know what to do. I just resigned from my job with IT so from now on I will have considerably less spending money. Woo hoo.

Well, I really don't have much more to say for now. More later when I am in a better mood and not sick. :)

Jessica

It will never die. I have to learn to accept that.

So, I get this voicemail on my phone last night from Eric, and it says: "Hey Jess. I just can't get the image of you shimmying out of my mind. So, I thought I would call. Talk to you soon." My inability to shimmy (which I have overcome quite nicely, I would like to point out) has followed me from high school, into college, and now into friendships with people completely outside of Bakersfield. I mean, I am glad that the image of me flailing around like a Muppet on crack makes people laugh, but seriously-- when is it going to die already? I mean, am I going to be on my death bed with someone saying, "C'mon Jess, just once more for old time's sake?" Knowing me, I'd probably do it.

Disappointment

Once again, my friends have rallied around me and made me feel better, and once again I don't know what I would do without them.

Last night, I got the sad news that I was not selected to participate in the interview process for Teach for America. I was disappointed, and I needed to talk about it. I literally scrolled through my phone calling everyone I could think of that would care even an iota, but alas not even my parents were home. So, I started walking the dorm, and ended up at Catie's door. She was awesome. Then people started calling me back, which was nice. Finally, Nat brought me some tea from Starbucks and then she and Galen took me bowling and bought me beer. It was awesome. So, a crappy night actually turned out to be a great night. I bowled at least a 110 in my last game (which for me is amazing), but they closed the alley on our 10th frame, so we didn't get to finish our game. I was pissed.

Anyway, so I am excited about this weekend. I am on duty, but Eric is coming over Friday night with movies to keep me company, so at least I have something to look forward to. I am on pager 2, so hopefully I won't have to respond to anything terrifying. I got off lucky on Halloween. Sunday, my parents are coming down to spend the day with me. I have to be on campus until 5, but that's okay. They might bring Sadie, too. Woo hoo!

Well, because of this TFA thing, I am back to the drawing board about next year. By the way, for those of you out there who did get an interview, congrats! I am so happy for you. For me, though, I think that this is providence. Obviously, I just wasn't meant to do TFA. I can't help but wonder what it was about me that they didn't like, but I have to put it out of my head because I am never going to know. Now it is on to other adventures. I guess I will be sticking around LA next year (and living with Analia-- yay!), and I am really happy about that. Things could be a lot worse. :)

Ciao for now,
Jess

It is that time of year again...

It is only Tuesday and already it is a stressful week. Tomorrow I find out if I get an interview with Teach for America. I am so nervous. At first, I wasn't sure if I really wanted to do it, but now that I have thought about it, talked to people, and found someone to live with in NYC, I really, really want to get it. I can go online and check my application status anytime after 8pm tomorrow night. Ahh!

So, I started my week out on the wrong foot. Sunday night/Monday morning I had the worst stress dreams. I dreamt that I didn't get an interview for Teach for America but everyone else I knew did, even those who didn't apply. I also dreamt that I was being fired from RA because I didn't do any programs for the whole semester. And finally, to round it out, I dreamt that it was the last week of the semester and I hadn't even started writing my thesis and the first chapter was due to my readers. Of course, I have done almost all my programming for the semester and I have 10 pages of my first chapter written, but the dreams still freaked me out. Oh, and I also dreamt that I ran into the guy I like (hehe) and he totally blew me off. So, yeah, it was a great night.

When I woke up yesterday morning after all the crazy, scary dreams, I realized I had slept through not one but TWO meetings. Great. Both people understood, but I hate feeling like a flake. Oh well. It happens.

Anyway, tomorrow is going to be a rough day. I will be glued to my phone and e-mail, waiting to hear something, anything. I really want to get TFA and move to NYC and live with Catie! But, if it's not meant to be, at least I have other options to fall back on... sort of.

I apologize that my posts are so lame and boring. If I could share some of the juicier stuff with you all, I would, but I can't. Therefore, this is a boring blog, but it is cathartic for me to share my tedious day to day occurances. I hope everyone is having a less hectic week than I am!

Later gators,
Jess

What a weekend

This past weekend was so much fun. I really needed it after being stuck on campus all of last weekend. And I will be stuck on campus all of this coming weekend, so I needed this to prepare me.

Friday night, I went with Sara, her brother, Abby, and Kelly to SCAM Fest, which I love. It is the Southern California Acapella Music Festival and last year it was amazing. It was good this year, too, but not as. There were groups from all over campus as well as UCLA, USC, and UCSD. I have to say (Rachel, don't hate me), but the groups from USC were the best. Them and, of course, The Shades, Claremont's premier acapella group. My neighbor and, I like to think, friend Barb sang a Sheryl Crow song at the end and she sounded amazing!

After the show, Nat and I were bored so we headed over to the illustrious Press. We hadn't been sitting for five minutes when these two older, mildly creepy guys asked if they could join us. At first, it was a little flattering, then they opened their mouths. They were using double negatives, using "at" at the end of sentences, and, to top it all off, telling racist jokes. Now, I probably sound like a terrible elitist, but double negatives and using "at" at the end of sentences are two of my biggest pet peeves. And as far as racist jokes go, you might be able to get away with some genuinely funny ones in a close, intimate group of friends, but telling them to perfect strangers, especially ones you are hitting on, is not a good move. At all. Sadly, they wouldn't leave us alone. Yikes. So, Nat called her friend Galen to come rescue us, and it worked. We then headed over to the CMC apartments, which I had never been to, and hung out. Galen introduced me to Rejected (My spoon is too big!)and Billy's Balloon (what the hell was this guy on?). Sick. Sadistic. Twisted. Awesome.

Saturday, Kira (bless her heart) hung out with me while I did menial tasks like laundry and getting my hair cut. Saturday night, our swing dance friend Eric drove in from wherever it is he lives and came with us to the Swing Jam at Pomona. It was fun, but not anything like LindyGroove. The band was good and there were actually some amazing dancers, but it was so clickish and I felt awkward whenever I didn't have anyone to dance with, which doesn't happen at LindyGroove. Eric was a sweetheart and danced with me a lot, which I appreciated. Overall, it was nice. Afterwards, Nat, Eric and I headed back to the CMC apartments and hung out with some of Nat's friends. Eric and I got roped into a game of beer pong (fortunately, it wasn't strip beer pong like it was when we first arrived). I was tired and not really getting into the spirit of things so I left early. Eric accompanied me back and we ended watching Swingers (which is quickly becoming my favorite movie of all time) in my room until 3:30am, when I finally kicked him out. I love making friends outside of Claremont, especially if I end up staying here after graduation.

Today, I wrote my 15 page fiction paper that I had been neglecting and spent the whole of my day in my room. Tonight, Galen came over and he and Nat and I ordered a pizza and hung out. Very cool. Again, I am so happy that Galen and I are friends now because, though he went to CMC, he is technically an outside-of-Claremont friend now that he is moving to LA. I'm just racking them up!

Well, I am going to go back downstairs and join the gang for Desparate Housewives. Hope everyone had a good weekend.

Ciao!
Jess

Stress

Monday night's meeting didn't quite go as planned. Jessica, Nat and I ended up being the only ones dressed up. The tone of the meeting was quite somber, and I felt a little ridiculous with my stupid hair and bright red lipstick. I can't imagine how Nat must have felt. But, we looked good, I think. Check it out for yourself. Anyway, this has been such a stressful week. I have 10 more pages of my thesis due via e-mail on Friday afternoon, a 15 page fiction story due Sunday afternoon, a program tomorrow night, and a swing dance thing on Saturday. I am looking forward to the swing dance, especially because I have to miss Lindy Groove tomorrow night, but it is just one more thing I have to do. On the up side, Nat and my swing friend Eric (Clark Kent in the pics) is coming over to go with us on Saturday, which should be fun.

Anyway, if any of you read this and go to a Claremont school, tomorrow night is Jenny, Paige and my program entitled "Balancing Career and Family." It should be really good and not too terribly long, so COME! 8pm in the Toll living room. Snacks provided.

Well, I am off to aerobics. Yay. I actually do like the class and I like hanging out with Abby, but at this point it is taking time away from things I really need to be doing. Oh well. I'll get it all done-- I always do somehow...

Have a good day!
Jess

Allow me to be a cornball for a moment

I have to say that for the first time in my life I have come to realize how important and beautiful friendships can be. I feel like I am at a point (newly single, moving into a transition period, going through difficult situations personally) where my friendships are what keep me going. So, this is a shout out to everyone who reads this: I love you so much. I appreciate the love you give me, the laughter you bring me, the comfort, the listening ear, everything. I have gotten a lot closer to some of you in a past few months, and some of you I have just met, but you have all touched me so deeply. I am who I am because of you, not that I am such a fabulous person, but I can see a difference in myself. That, in no small part, is because of the individual ways you all have touched me. I know this is super corny and silly, and I also appreciate your putting up with the corniness, but sometimes I just feel like I have to say these types of things. I want you all to know how I feel. I also want you all to feel comfortable coming to me, and I want you to know that if you ever need anything I will be there, day or night, no matter what. I know that some of you, many of you, are going through difficult phases right now with family, school, work, life transitions, whatever. I just hope I can be there for you the way you have been there for me.

Okay, I think I have said my piece. I love you guys and I hope you all have a fantastic week. :)
Jessica