what a team we would make!! a sisters roller derby team! the idea is that each team has a jammer who tries to lap the group and gets points for each of the other team that she can pass before it is over. i totally had visions of us doing this....
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
My College Years
Thinking back over the past four years, I've realized that a lot of interesting things have happened to me as an undergraduate.
I started off living in a fancy, completely paid-for single dorm room that was one minute away from the ocean; I ended up living with some great roommates in a fancy apartment that had a creek. In between I lived with a 53 year old woman, in a foreign country, and under stairs.
I took some very unique classes:
World Music - my professor brought in musicians from around the world to demonstrate various instruments and musical styles. Some of our assignments were to attend concerts. I also completed an Honors project for that class; normally that involves extra research or a paper. But no, he just taught me how to play the Middle Eastern Drum.
Global Religion - This class was essentially a bunch of fields trips to nearby places of worship. We went to the Buddhist temple, Vedanta temple, and Jewish Synagogue in Santa Barbara, and went to a Hindu temple, Sikh Gurudwara, Islamic center, and the center of Scientology in L.A. For our final project we created and presented a religion we made up...mine was Oprahism.
Music and Politics - I saw this listed in the course catalog and thought, "umm...yes??" All we did was watch movies from 6-9 pm on Tuesdays and talk about how the music affected the political message of the film. For my final I wrote a paper about the song Gabriel's Oboe from The Mission.
Global Business - This class was "taught" by Paul Orfalea, the man who started Kinko's. I've never met a more foul-mouthed, dirty-minded, greedy, and cynical old man. We had no assignments and no tests, but I've never had a more stressful class because he would critique everything you said and did. He did take the entire class out for lunch after each class, but you had to weigh the pro of free food against the con of being near him for another hour. For our final, he took us to the Montecito Country Club for a fancy dinner and schmoozing. All in all, I think I learned a lot about the way business is run internationally, and I hated it.
Tumbling - This was SO much fun. Basically, we got set loose in a trampoline-filled, foam-padded room and learned how to do handstands, handsprings, and flips.
In addition to classes (some were legit, I promise)... I played soccer, badminton, and ultimate, I ran along the bluffs, went hiking and rock climbing. I rode my bike everyday, everywhere (I figure I rode 1200 miles this last year alone). However, I never got in a bike accident or had my bike stolen. I jumped off the pier twice. I attended varied concerts and lectures, from John Stossel and Gunther to Yo Yo Ma and Tony Blair. I was waterboarded. During my spring breaks I went to Guatemala, Puerto Rico, and South Dakota. I traveled abroad, which was the most adventurous time of my life.
I won't miss: Riding my bike in the rain, or against that blasted wind. Arriving everywhere sweaty and windblown. Isla Vista. Tar on my feet after going to the beach. Running over squirrels. Freshmen on the bike path. Writing papers, and stressing over exams.
I will miss: Meeting Vivian for lunch on campus every Wednesday to watch world music concerts. Downtown Santa Barbara. Picking blackberries, tangerines, oranges, cumquats, and grapefruit on my bike ride to school. The donut shop that sells Thai food. All of my wonderful friends. Living next to/with Vivian and Jerry, and babysitting Levi. The ocean, the mountains, the slough, the butterfly forest and the eucalyptus trees.
What a time it has been. Goodbye Santa Barbara!
I started off living in a fancy, completely paid-for single dorm room that was one minute away from the ocean; I ended up living with some great roommates in a fancy apartment that had a creek. In between I lived with a 53 year old woman, in a foreign country, and under stairs.
I took some very unique classes:
World Music - my professor brought in musicians from around the world to demonstrate various instruments and musical styles. Some of our assignments were to attend concerts. I also completed an Honors project for that class; normally that involves extra research or a paper. But no, he just taught me how to play the Middle Eastern Drum.
Global Religion - This class was essentially a bunch of fields trips to nearby places of worship. We went to the Buddhist temple, Vedanta temple, and Jewish Synagogue in Santa Barbara, and went to a Hindu temple, Sikh Gurudwara, Islamic center, and the center of Scientology in L.A. For our final project we created and presented a religion we made up...mine was Oprahism.
Music and Politics - I saw this listed in the course catalog and thought, "umm...yes??" All we did was watch movies from 6-9 pm on Tuesdays and talk about how the music affected the political message of the film. For my final I wrote a paper about the song Gabriel's Oboe from The Mission.
Global Business - This class was "taught" by Paul Orfalea, the man who started Kinko's. I've never met a more foul-mouthed, dirty-minded, greedy, and cynical old man. We had no assignments and no tests, but I've never had a more stressful class because he would critique everything you said and did. He did take the entire class out for lunch after each class, but you had to weigh the pro of free food against the con of being near him for another hour. For our final, he took us to the Montecito Country Club for a fancy dinner and schmoozing. All in all, I think I learned a lot about the way business is run internationally, and I hated it.
Tumbling - This was SO much fun. Basically, we got set loose in a trampoline-filled, foam-padded room and learned how to do handstands, handsprings, and flips.
In addition to classes (some were legit, I promise)... I played soccer, badminton, and ultimate, I ran along the bluffs, went hiking and rock climbing. I rode my bike everyday, everywhere (I figure I rode 1200 miles this last year alone). However, I never got in a bike accident or had my bike stolen. I jumped off the pier twice. I attended varied concerts and lectures, from John Stossel and Gunther to Yo Yo Ma and Tony Blair. I was waterboarded. During my spring breaks I went to Guatemala, Puerto Rico, and South Dakota. I traveled abroad, which was the most adventurous time of my life.
I won't miss: Riding my bike in the rain, or against that blasted wind. Arriving everywhere sweaty and windblown. Isla Vista. Tar on my feet after going to the beach. Running over squirrels. Freshmen on the bike path. Writing papers, and stressing over exams.
I will miss: Meeting Vivian for lunch on campus every Wednesday to watch world music concerts. Downtown Santa Barbara. Picking blackberries, tangerines, oranges, cumquats, and grapefruit on my bike ride to school. The donut shop that sells Thai food. All of my wonderful friends. Living next to/with Vivian and Jerry, and babysitting Levi. The ocean, the mountains, the slough, the butterfly forest and the eucalyptus trees.
What a time it has been. Goodbye Santa Barbara!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
The day Theo and Lucy's mom died
While Carrie was sick in bed with dengue, her two children were all but forgotten...
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Favorite highlight from Rachel's graduation
1. ian and beth cheering randomly when we heard something we liked - "engineering - woot!" "yeah public health!", or "goucho - i like that word!! wahoo!"
2. the enthusiastic and happy way that woman read the names of the graduates.
3. "by the power vested in me... i now confer upon you ..."
4. "Rachel! Can you see us? Mom's wearing the viking helmet!"
"...um...could you get someone taller to wear the viking helmet?"5. Sneaking out of my graduation Vivian-style.
6. Getting bench-pressed by my sisters.
7. Throwing tortillas on Dad and Kathy's lawn.
8. And definitely, the squirrel cake.
7. Throwing tortillas on Dad and Kathy's lawn.
8. And definitely, the squirrel cake.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
quotes from Crazy House 2010
Lucy - (crying)"i want to sit in the pish-posh (the trunk)" and you don't even HAVE a trunk!" (sob)
me (to mom) - "what do you MEAN do i want you to come down now or later?!! NOW!"
me- "how do you discipline theo?"
Carrie - "i usually stick him in the toilet ...i mean bathroom!! i mean BATHROOM!! beth?"
Lucy - "excuse me! is anyone going to feed me?!"
Dad- "so what exactly is the problem here?"
me - "the next kid who gets out of bed is going to get pummeled with this flyswatter. now who is going to say the prayer?"
Theo - "uumm phan byucktoo! AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!"
Lucy - "throwing all that stuff away is very bad for the earth, you know!"
Sydney - "can i kill a chicken for my birthday?"
tim - "we are NOT having any more kids."
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
we lik eric
all the kids in mrs. kent's first grade class got a collection of letters from the kids in their class. each kid wrote a "why i like you" letter to everybody else. here are a few direct quote classics from eric's:
i like you because...
-you are a awsome prson in the universe and you are the best student in the class. - carly
- you are very fair even though i got the reroered (reward). you are very fair! - pete
-you are the kindest person ever and you always be nice to everyone - molly
-you are very sweet to uthers. - mia
- bo you like mountain lions? - jr
- you lik evre bute(everybody) and you
are cute as a bug! - samantha
-what is your food is? my food is pizza. - nickolas
- you be quite down in the rug. and you
are nice to all your friends. - makenna
- you are so smart - athena
-you are the best friend. - brad
- you are sweet and kind. you never talk to peopl wene you are working. - mercedes
- you are a cool guy. - brayden
- you sit quite. i like you! eric is a flower. - jaclyn
and my favorite:
-youare to. by. like you red. as mlikm. is in like ir toy. - logan
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