The follow up

I didn't go to bed right after finishing my post last night.  Instead, I wondered if Jordi would think of me when he noticed his underpants were missing.  In case he didn't notice after a day or so, I drew him a picture to hang up.  You can see below.

I went to school today from 11-3:30.  I stayed a little longer than planned.  I hadn't forgotten about the foreign knickers in my room, but the giddiness wore off.... so I thought.

When I came home at 3:30, I unlocked the door to my room.  Side note: it's really easy to identify each room without actually leaving your own or having your own door open.  Anyway, I stuck my key in the lock and immediately Jordi's door swung open.  I tried to get into my room as quickly and naturally as possible-- failure.  

I couldn't contain myself- the giddiness was back!  I turned to greet "naturally", but couldn't help but have a giant grin on my face.  I blew my cover.  He followed me to my room and asked where they were.  There was a lot of dialogue; I played dumb for a few minutes.. the smiling and laughter prevented me from fooling him.  I surrendered, because this guy really wanted his underpants... he was about to search my room, I felt there was no need for that.  I will say though, he started to look in the completely wrong spot. =)  He was smiling through out most of this too, btw.

A bit later he came out of the shower ready for his clean knickers.  After flipping me the bird 3 times, we chatted about the whole situation.  He said he remembered hanging them up.. and this morning couldn't find them.  He looked around his room, wondering if maybe he had moved them, but hadn't remembered.  When he couldn't find them after looking in all the likely places, he thought, "That fucking bitch."  And that... that quote still makes me feel warm inside.  

I didn't need my picture for its original purpose.  But I really liked my picture, it kinda looks like him and the details make me smile.  So why waste a perfectly good picture?  I hung it on his door... it's still there, I think he likes it too. =)

"I'm free ballin' coz I can't find my underpants"

gAHHhhh!!

Have you ever done something that gets you all giddy and giggly and bubbly?  =)

My flatmate likes to sneak up and scare me so I scream, yell "Jesus Christ" or pee my pants.  The rush wakes me up sometimes, but I mostly enjoy it because it amuses him so much.  Tonight was another scare in the kitchen; that's where it always happened.  I walked back to my room after eating and found my door half propped open, it surprised me that my door stop slid on the carpet, but whatever.  So I opened my door and shoes came tumbling down on my head.  Hmm.. how did that happen JORDI?!  It's all in good fun, of course.

I brainstormed for like.. 10 minutes on what I could do to return his little surprises.  I couldn't think of anything that was tasteful, but good.  In the past I turned the light off while he was taking a shower (you can only access it from outside the bathroom) and banged really hard on the bathroom door while he was peeing, in hopes he'd jump and... swerve, or something.  

Later I asked a few people for ideas.  Everything they had to offer was way over the top... too much work and not on the same innocent level.  Someone, that someone was Steve, suggested that I take his underwear.  It seemed like the best idea given, but I was pretty sure Jordi never left his door unlocked and to wait until he was in the shower or something seemed like too much work.  Hmm.. so I forgot about it. 

And then tonight I had a knock on my door, it was Jordi, 

"Mmm.. do you have the thing for the clothes?"  

"Uhh, say what?" I replied.  

"Ah, that strange thing I saw you had the other day for the clothes."  

"My hamper?" I replied again.  

"Bah, no to dry the clothes." he said.  

"Oh, the drying rack, it's there behind the door."  

Later I walked to the kitchen.  The hallway smelled like someone had just took a shower right outside my door.  I wondered for a minute and then saw Jordi's door propped open with all his laundry drying.  Of course I didn't think anything about it.

After talking with Jordi in the kitchen I had my game face on again.  I walked back through the hall way... it just seemed too easy; his door was propped open, laundry drying, he was still eating.. the underwear was even clean.  Ok- in case you're wondering I would not have been interested if they weren't clean.  Innocent level, remember?  Anyway, so I quickly tip-toed in, grabbed all of them... ran out... giggled.  Ran back in a minute or so later, turned the clothes rack 90 degrees so the theft was less noticeable and ran back to my room.

I'm sorry this will have to be a cliff hanger, because currently, his underpants are in my room.  They're neatly draped over my heater with a towel concealing their whereabouts.  It would be nice for him to notice tonight, but I'm going to bed as soon as I finish writing this. =)

Hmm.. I'm finished.

call me crazy

I really don't like Photoshop. I've become better friends with Illustrator. It's simpler and not nearly as temperamental. I want to know how to do everything in Illustrator so I can use Photoshop as little as possible.

To be rational, I realize the strengths of Photoshop. If it could do everything that Illustrator could, then we wouldn't have Photoshop. What I'm also realizing slooowly, is that Photoshop is not for every crazy detailed massive sized file where you have to adjust and jump around and add layer after layer after layer until inevitably the massively large files goes corrupt or fails to open or print and you have to do all the minute little pixelated details over again, assuming that the whole computer doesn't freeze and oh MF you haven't saved your work in the last 15 seconds so you really do have to do it all over again!! Yes- reading that sentence is the same feeling I get when I use Photoshop.

Illustrator, on the other hand, is simpler. Sometimes it gets fussy when your not patient enough to understand it's logic, but even then, the file usually doesn't blow.

So. After these projects are turned in, I'm going to take a little break from Photoshop (I have strings attached- or files rather, so I have to keep dealing with it). Hopefully my time apart from Photoshop will help me realize what I need it for. And then, I can use it then- and only then. And for the rest of the time I'll hang out with my new best friend, Illustrator. Hopefully I'll be introduced (and like) others from the Adobe clan.

Lancaster

In lieu of not posting in a while, I'm dedicating this to my babies.

I was flipping through facebook photos... slowly wasting away my day. I believe they were from Miss Martini's latest album, something about "extra onions". As I looked at all of their young, happy, drunk faces I... I missed them. It was shocking to see how relaxed they've gotten about some rules.

I can tell I've been in England a while. In addition to some of my lingo and inflection that rings British, I've gotten used to a younger drinking age, relaxed attitude regarding drugs, and noise... lots and lots of noise. Who cares about the noise though, I don't have to do anything about it, just call security if it's bothersome. Which I've done.. a few times.. I know, what a bitch. =)

Anyway, so my darling residents were drinking in the hallway. I didn't even make the connection for a minute or so. After I did notice I thought, "You little shits are not drinking in my hallway." Of course- it's not my hallway anymore and I'm not offended by their underage drinking either. But it's nice to remember how I would have, at one time, been an alcohol waster and made them dump it out, but it was always in good fun.

I guess that's what I miss, they're carefree attitudes. Their fresh spirits: laughing, talking, playing, procrastinating, fellowshiping, bonding. I'm hesitant to use the word "community" for fear of sounding cliche and like I'm writing an essay for the DoR. They are a community though, a good one and I miss them- I wasn't sure that I would, but I do.

I think they're in their final two weeks. I wonder what kind of excuses they're making so they don't have to study for finals. I wonder how late they're keeping Shane awake with all their noise. I wonder who is secretly in love with who now. I wonder if good-byes will be hard. Recreation is never the same, Lancaster 08-09 won't be the same as Lancaster 07-08, but at least they'll have next year. Whitendale also won't be the same next September, but we won't have each other again.

I guess I don't have much left to add. Lancaster, you kept me on my toes, but I enjoyed you and all of your shenanigans. Lucky for me, you'll be back at ISU in the fall and lucky for you I'm a super senior.

See you soon. =)

... and no fucking drinking in the hallways... or anywhere!!!... and it's quiet hours!... and Evan stop pissing me off!! (*sigh* =)

Big Yellow Taxi

Today has been the classic unproductive day.  I'm too embarrassed to say what time I actually got out of bed.  My accomplishments have included: bathing, proofreading a paper and 1/2 and having dinner/fellowship with a friend.   I'm feeling melancholy though...

Tonight is the last night of spring break.  I have class tomorrow, but it's been so long since I've been to it.   3 week spring break + a cancellation the week before + I think I skipped the previous week = I actually forgot what time the class starts.  I remembered eventually- I plan on attending tomorrow. =)

So we're on the "second half" of our semester.  I feel like I'm getting short changed though, because even though there's a little less than half left, people are leaving early.  It seems so bazaar, who would think of leaving early in the US?  For clarification, by "early" I mean 2-3 weeks before the semester ends.  

There's one person in particular that's leaving early.  I'm a bit surprised at how gloomy I am about it.  I just found out tonight- a flight hasn't been booked yet, but the mentality seems to be confirmed.  I think part of why it's so difficult is because I don't know why he's leaving early.  

When I was in Idaho I had dinner with a full time Coldwater Creek employee.  He was young, maybe 23ish?   I remember him commenting on my short term experiences-- Paris and CWC.  How I've gone to places, knowing I would only be there a short amount of time and managing to build some sort of community or friendship.   His words weren't exactly those, but close enough.  It really went in one ear and out the other-- I didn't think anything of it. 

I didn't think anything of it until I got to Preston.  A few weeks in hit me that actual friends weren't exactly easy to make.  It was a weird feeling, enlightening for sure and made me appreciate the friends I had back home.  It's hard for me to admit it, but a few times- for this reason, I was homesick.  

Friend making is one thing- when you have large amounts of time in front of you, like 4 years of college... or time as far as you can see, until something moves you, whatever and whenever that is.   Friend making is another when your time is limited and you can clearly see the end in front of you, like one semester studying abroad in Preston, England.   

I've ran into some mentalities that think there just isn't enough time to invest anything significant.  The thought that the parting would be too difficult if you had grown close with someone.  And what's the point of a friend if they're not in close proximity?  Distant friends- especially international friends really should not exist.  I've exaggerated a bit in the last sentence and for the record- I don't agree with the whole paragraph.

Anyway- my point is, making friends has been among the challenges here.  There are plenty of people here and plenty of opportunities to spend time together, unless you're taking 4 modules. I think my three obstacles have been 1.) I think quite a bit about human interaction as a result, things can be unnatural 2.) I have high standards for what I call a "friend" and 3.) I'm taking 4 modules.  

Aside from the grumbling about my course load; analyzing and high standards have taught me something: a short amount of time to make friends is unfortunate.  You can't measure on a daily basis what your friendship status is with someone.  It's only until they tell you they're leave early that you realize what you've got, but a friend far away is as good as a friend close by.  

I think other study abroad students would agree (or at least my brother would)... just about the time you get settled, it's time to go home.  I feel like home is getting closer and closer and it's only April.  

Bad Karma

I just got back from London last night.  I took like.. 350 pictures.  I'm working on my creative picture taking-- some turn out, quite a bit don't.  Without even looking at the other 349, I know which one is my favorite...

The family and I had just finished our tour of the Tower of London.  I was waiting in line to get a hamburger.  I looked down to see a little boy reaching as far as he could to put catsup and mustard on his half hotdog.  I thought, "This could be be a nice photo, in a 'carnival/saturday afternoon fun' type of way."  Alas, my camera had run out of battery, so I let the opportunity pass.  

All of a sudden I heard a squishy splattering sound.  I thought to myself, "Hmm, what was that?"  I glanced around in a few spots... above me, at the child with hotdog, myself, the ground.  It only took me a few seconds to figure it out.  A bird shit on the child and it landed right on the edge of his baseball hat!  I started laughing out loud.  This sweet boy looked up at me and gave me a sincere and adorable smile.  All I could do was laugh at the bird poop on his hat.  I didn't tell him or look for a napkin to wipe it off.. I just laughed and quickly took out my camera and snapped a quick picture before the battery totally died. 

Shortly after, I got my hamburger and popped a squat with my family.  I could hardly compose myself when I told them the story; only Ellie thought it was as funny as I did.  And then came the bill-- the bill for the entertainment I just had.   The currency for the bill wasn't in pounds or dollars or an angry mother, it was karma.  I had the worst burger of my life.  At that point I couldn't have even called it a hamburger because there was absolutely no way the consistency was beef.  I'm not sure what it was- except terrible.  I finished it, feeling slightly queasy.  

 

We walked to the Tube.  I was balanced with the universe and had my photo that illustrates a story.  I was happy.  =)