Open Mic Night

I second this... and this.

My attempts to wring Berkeley for all it's worth are, no doubt, coming along splendidly.

March Update

After having been so MIA on the blog scene, I thought it only fair to give an update on what I’ve been up to. So here’s a modified version of an email I sent to some friends the other day, providing a brief summary of the month of March.

The last time I wrote you, I was feeling nearly debilitated with the weight of an impending life decision. Two roads were laid out before me – 1.) to stay in California and go to grad school, whole heartedly pursuing my career or, 2.) return to my roots in Idaho and attend a slightly less prestigious graduate school while seeking to balance my whole person with family, friends, new beau, and career. It’s likely that just by my description, you can tell which option I’m favoring. But to be perfectly honest, it’s no longer just a favorable option – it’s really what I want. It’s the road that, to be horribly cliché, is certainly less traveled. And while Idaho is the place I spent the first 18 years of my life, it is a road full of just as many unknowns as nearly any other place I could possibly go at this point. Most importantly, the road to Idaho is one that I am certain will help me bring a balance to my life that has been missing over the past couple of years - a scale that would certainly grown more unevenly weighted were I to stay put in Berkeley. Amazing how life moves…come July, I’ll be headed for a whole new chapter full of adventures and surprises.

Alright…sentimental crap over! March 2006 was a great month! It was the month of my 26th birthday and also birthday month for my cousin Jamie, who put on a great-as-ever St. Patties Day shindig. For her birthday, Cuz got this great bag in “orange bolt” from her grandma and loved it so much she had to get me one in “top banana” so that we could ooze with “English tradition that meets London underground” together. WHAT?!!!

My birthday was filled with many other surprises. My significant other/partner/boyfriend/[insert additional labels here] got several of my friends involved in a plot to surprise me and showed up for the birthday weekend and all its events. I woke up on Saturday the 25th and suddenly…I’m 26?!!! WHAT?? Naw…26 suits me well. The year started out in a fabulous way with T.O., making coffee for Jamie, Matty and I and we all sat together and welcomed the new year of life in style…slightly hung over. ☺ It’s going to be another great year…I can feel it.

March was a month for pondering the bizarre concept of …babies. I attended the baby shower of, and then later went to visit, my Brazilian friend Janaina, who is now 6 months pregnant with a baby girl. I brushed up on my infant-care trivia - Did you know that doctors advise that you introduce vegetables before fruits to infants who are starting to eat solids, supposedly because they’ll be more likely to accept both foods and not just the sweet ones? Uh-huh! I also had the opportunity to improve my knowlede of pink baby shower wrapping paper designs, and Stork Parking (parking spaces reserved entirely for expectant mothers – typically located outside of stores like Babies R Us and Mimi Maternity), as well as brushing up on those strange female hormones I regularly choose to ignore. I must say, my favorite parts of hanging out with a pregnant woman were the frequent naps, the frequent stops for food and ice cream, and the choice of activity based solely on how little it necessitated actually being on one’s feet. It made for a spectacular and relaxing vacation for sure.


And now we’re to April. The countdown for my leaving California has begun. Only 3 months left for me to self-actualize in the eccentric state of existence called Berkeley. Not a moment to lose. Off I go to talk to myself while walking down the street wearing outfits composed entirely of tie-die while begging people for money so that I can buy more weed. Muhahahahaha…