Creole Wisdom

happy halloween!

Just went to a fun party on Halloween, but I also celebrated on Saturday night at the West Point Halloween Dance : )

Here are all the girls from last night's festivities

I also put together this cute little collage from the past weekend! (click to see a larger image!)

(in case you're wondering, the green square with "happy halloween" is a freebie from www.heatheranndesigns.com)

So here's how the night went:

We'd been planning this little trip up to our "brother school" for about a month, so everyone was very excited!

West Point sent up a coach bus (how nice, and chivilrous, I might add!) to pick us up- it was a pretty 40 minute drive along the Hudson River...

The dance itself was pretty fun as usual. Since it was Halloween the cadets weren't in their usual uniform, and instead got the chance to wear costumes, but since most of them didn't have any they just wore "civilian clothing."

They had great refreshments: popcorn balls, candied and carmel apples, martinellies' sparkling cider in a cool punch bowl with dry ice, and assorted candy.

I had to give it to their decorating committte.... Esienhower hall looked really nice!

I was taking a break from dancing when I started talking to a couple of plebes (the name for freshman at WP) this is how the conversation went:

Guy: "hey are you from New York?"
Me: "No, I'm from Oregon"
Guy: "Oh Bus here is from Oregon"
Me (looking at this guy): "oh really, where abouts?" Now, granted I'm expecting him to say some little town...
Bus: "Lake Oswego"
Me: "Oh my god... I'm from the west hills, did you by any chance know a Matt _____ ?"
Bus: "Oh yeah we were buds!"
Me: "OH my gosh!"

Well it turns out that this Bus guy (that's his nickname by the way...) was friends with Matt through church! How funny! We decided to take a fun picture of each other for him.

A few hours later, I called Matt. He was so excited that I'd ran into one of his buds at WP! What a small world!

It was such a fun night!

there's just something about it...

so great. gotta be the best show on tv now.

captivating, interesting, drama-filled, fun, and sometimes just great for getting a good laugh.

my roomate and I downloaded the first episodes of season two off i-tunes yesterday. woah! technology freak out: we realized that in about a few years there will be no more video rental places... and just think about it- you can get episodes off i-tunes. amazing.

best part is: I had a conference with my child psych. teacher today... and SHE watches the show.

I feel weird writing this, but I just love all those ladies. I love that they have struggles and manage to find the humor in things despite. Much like sex & the city I have a hard time realizing that it is TV and it's not REAL. the writing is so so good.

What gets me is that GUYS watch it. Yep, they might be ashamed to admit it, but like SATC (sex & city) they slowly tuned in once they figured out that the show was just too da*n good...

I'm hoping to buy the first season off of amazon this month... if I don't spend all my money before I have a chance to!

i remember when...

just some random memories that I love looking back on:

portland snow storm in january 2004

I came home from vacation to an extra week off! All I did was scrap and eat soup, it was one of the best memories from High School. Everyone was sledding outside and enjoying the snow, it rarely does this in Portland- and so the entire city shut down. We couldn't even get up the hill to buy groceries so our entire cul-de-sac (minus the grumpy, rude people who moved out this past spring, thank God!) came over to my neighbor's for a pot-luck. I'll never forget it. Everything outdoors just frozen, and it looked so pretty!

Europe trip w/ Gabby- Summer 2001

After graduating from middle school I went on vacation with my family and got to take along a buddy! Gabby and I had a great time running around the different cities we visited. I'll never forget all the silly, stupid inside jokes we made. Even though we didn't see each other once during HS we stayed in touch. I was always hoping she'd come out to New York for college, but we are planning on a get together during Christmas break : )

the beach

Something about it...

okay.... I'm out!

...laugh out loud...

So let's just say that the dvd collection here at school isn't exactly normal.

A lot of times I'll come into the library with high hopes on checking out say: "Father Of The Bride" or even "Mean Girls", but alas... nothing.

Instead they have things like: "Hitler in Britian" and "Queer as Folk," well sorry- both aren't really my type of entertainment pleasure.

Recently, however, I've found some "diamonds" in the rough: a cool pbs-esque English series called "The Grand," about a hotel post WWI and now Berkeley Square, another series.

I also stumbled upon "The Complete Gidget Collection: Gidget, Gidget goes Hawaiian, and Gidget in Rome"

I knew these movies were popular when Matt's mom was growing up and I knew she liked them, so I thought I'd give it a chance.

My suitemate Kalli and I had the best time watching this.

Just too cute. "Gidget," is lighthearted and warm, funny, too. Basically you get this really cute Sandra Dee who is living the fun surf life in southern California. Everyone is having a great time and minor dramas are solved within 20 seconds. Kalli and I figured out that Gidget had ADD before "ADD" even existed. Talk about high energy... woah! If anyone needs a boost they should watch this movie! We were kind of shocked at the boy on girl stuff in this movie... after all- it was only 1959! The clothes and swimsuites are just awsome... making me want to post my Halloween costume: part of it is a vintage bathing suit from the late 40s... think "The Notebook."

Anway I googled the movie this morning and thought I'd just post a pic. I've yet to watch the other two installments, but I already have one memorable quote:

"She might be pint-sized, but she's quite a woman!"

Playing around...

with curves in photoshop today!

I am really learning a lot. Thanks to the 2peas photography message board and gallery I've found a place where I can ask lots of questions and get some very helpful responses!

Slowly but surely,

This is my favorite from today!

If you want something bad enough...

YOU can do it.

I am a firm believer in 'mind over matter'

If it weren't for my faith in this ideal I wouldn't be here at school, nor would I still have my relationship with Matt.

I am so thankful that I know this.

Okay... enough of the serious stuff!

So obviously I updated my blog banner.

Why? I needed a change. I wanted to streamline my style and so I got rid of the green.

The pictures left to right are: myself, my boyfriend, some brown eyed susans in my mom's garden (spin-off- my mom used to call me "brown eyed susan" when I was little... and I've always loved those flowers), my mom & step-dad walking on a dock in the Outer Banks of North Carolina this past summer, and Grand Central Station.

There's so much more I would of wanted to put on there, but you just can't fit it all!

Today my best friend and I went grocery shopping really late. It was so funny to be in the store all up in the bargain prices and adding stuff up so we wouldn't over spend.

I love how we talk about everything. When I say everything I mean EVERYTHING.

So a crazy, crazy thing happened while I was at the library around 3pm-

I'm looking around for books when out of the corner of my eyes I catch two LDS MISSIONARIES. Yes, let me repeat- LDS MISSIONARIES on the what? what? Yes, that's right- ON THE SARAH LAWRENCE CAMPUS.

Let me just say four words: There Is A God

Right now there needs to be change, lots of change on this campus. As much as I am open to so many things there's just a need for reform.

They were chatting with another girl, who works at the library- I had to interrupt to ask her a question and when I left I said, "I'm sorry to interrupt you elders."

Later they were so excited to learn that I went to ward in Portland. They're starting a bible study on Friday afternoons. I think I'll join them- it will be nice to spend some time with them.

On another note I am really, and I mean REALLY ready to get home for Thanksgiving. I love love love it here- don't get me wrong, but honestly I'm ready for a break!

I love this place

New York is just amazing. Seriously, beyond anything- and I love love love love it here! I spent so many years working so hard so I could go back. I missed everything so much, but as time went on I started to forget. I focused more on my suburban Portland life and things like prom, my boyfriend, scrapbooking, and just enyoyed my high school years. I forgot things like street vendors, shops filled to the brim with big apple souveniers, and seeing black nannies pushing their white charges around the upper east side. I forgot how many American flags hang all over the city, and how so many of the "support the troops" yellow car magnets are worn white against a construction worker's van. I forgot what housing projects looked like and even those stupid little grocery carts that everyone pushes around. Now that I'm here I'm never going to take it for granted. Sure I miss things, things like being able to drive anywhere, scrapbooking stores, house parties, and all the old families I used to babysit. Then again I'm so happy, happy to know that all my hard work payed off. I can't imagine not being here, I can't fathom life without the great friends I've made so far. I was so well prepared for all this. Two nights ago I was trying to kill some time in Grand Central Station before my train left. To keep myself from shopping (yes GCS has excellent shops, we're talking papyrus & tumi!) I decided to snap some pictures. This is my favorite.

gatsby party

Gotta love themed college parties!

After spending a fun evening in the city and meeting up with my 2peas friend, Anna, I got home and found another facebook invite.

Elizabeth is so cool. We share so many of the same boyfriend woes *sigh*. She's very artistic and painted the walls and doors over her room and apartment. Rumor has it that if the dean likes it he won't insist that it be painted over. So cool that they saved Yoko Ono's paintings in her dorm. Yep, she's a graduate.

So fun to get to dress up for a party. Usually I'm in chill clothes since they go so late- this time I wore my Banana Republic Easter dress, the same one I wore to the West Point mixer last month. Everyone was so cool, and it was such a cool mesh of unique people. Finally got to meet some of my classmates that I never speak to because the professor is always talking.

Here's some pics from the night!

girls night in- gotta luv it!

Last night was a designated "girls only" party at our dorm room!

I had Jay, my really good friend from Atlanta over around six. We ended up ordering take-out like we'd done the night before. This is another great reason to live in NYC- any type of food, any time, to your door! She ended up getting Chinese, but I opted for Italian! Mmmmm pasta pesto... it doesn't get *much* better.

Since it had been raining like crazy and there was no choice of having any fun outside I checked out 'The Grand' DVD series from our library. It's one of those mellow dramatic English murder mystery series that you usually see on PBS.

Jay is so great- we have so much in common. She's too funny. We're in the same black history class, and she, along with Arelene and myself is one of the only three black girls in the entire class! We like so many of the same things- last night she had me on the Longchamp site showing me all the cute customizable bags!!!!! I cannot wait until I can get one; they are wayyyyy cute and very in right now in NYC!

After watching the DVD and doing some work my suitemates next door invited Lauren and Hannah over.

Jay popped her ipod into my Bose dock and started playing this Janet Jackson dance song and everyone ran into my room and started dancing. Every once and a while we do this, and since we're just with each other we dance very crazy and silly. We had the music turned up so loud and were just jumping around the room in our pjs and sweats.

THEN all of a sudden there's a security guard standing with a really bewildered face in my bedroom doorway. Everyone freaks out and the music gets turned off and we just stand there. He thought we were having a party (parties get broken up if they aren't "official" don't- ask, and believe me they don't always come!) and instead walks upon all these crazy girls dancing. I about died. It was so so funny!

You could just see his shocked and embarrassed face and he was probably thinking, "too much estrogen... must leave. NOW!" Ha!

We ended up staying up really really late and then finally crashing.

A fun, fun night!

The rain and then some...

For the past week it's been raining non-stop. Just pouring, pouring, pouring, and everything is gray and dreary. Instead of it being a humid rain (like last week) suddenly you can see your breath. I am cold and wet, not a good combination!

Of course life has to go on. I have my rain coat, scarf, ipod, and a semi-functioning umbrella. It cracks me up how no one goes to class anymore. My suitemate from Cali came in drenched yesterday saying, "why didn't I go to Stanford or Berkeley or somwhere civilized!?" Let's get ready folks... a cold New York winter is upon us in just a few months! Right now I'd take back a couple of those unbearable late August days in the outer banks of North Carolina. Hottest experience ever, seriously, I need to be good because if hell is half that hot I'm scared...

So just out of curiosity I checked Matt's away message on im- it said "fire and rain." I just about started crying. Matt and I love James Taylor's song "Fire and Rain," we used to listen to it all the time. Since we didn't know what our college situation would be like we decided that "fire and rain" would be our code words for "I love you."

Later we talked. He told me he'd watched "Finding Forrester" and that since it was set in NYC it reminded him about me and how he just thinks he should transfer out to a NY school.

I really don't know where we stand right now and I think I need to talk more with him...

My roomate is getting on my nerves. When you look up princess in the dictionary her face is there- seriously and I thought I was prissy... I have never met someone so spoiled in my life. The girl didn't know how to make her bed, do laundry, and put her duvet inside of the cover until I showed her to. She's dating a 30 year old man (!!!) and she knows I don't agree with that.

The largest problem is that she can't seem to understand that we both share the room. Whenever we have issues over something she always says "well this is my room..." and "this is my space..."

Sure I didn't struggle as a kid, but I had chores and my parents prepared me for being independent.

I know these things aren't her fault, but her attitude is.

Thank God for my good friends who get me through the every day frustrations!