sunday

where to even begin...

I AM OFFICIALLY A GRADUATE STUDENT! today was my first day at american as a first year environmental science masters student (mouthful!). ive spent so many months thinking, stressing about starting school that it almost feels anticlimactic. maybe im still in shock, the reality hasnt quite set in. did i really just sign my life over for the next two years?? i opted out of a friends shin dig tonight to stay in and do homework. HOMEWORK. ive certainly had my doubts: was this the right choice? am i ready to go back to school? can i handle everything?

...yet somehow it just feels right. terrifying for sure, but right.

it felt weird/natural/uncomfortable/normal to be back in a classroom again. so familiar, having spent the majority of life in a classroom. having spent the past 2 years of my life NOT in school, building a life not dependent on school breaks or exams, the concept of finals, papers, and class participation arent second nature to me anymore. though im sure its only a matter of time before im in the thick of it again!

whole new campus to explore, whole new student body to befriend, all new subjects to learn, personal limits and expectations to test. this is definitely the beginning of new crazy/stressful/exciting chapter in whatever semblance of a life i have left!

just call me moneybags

Early wed morning i got an email from my soon-to-be advisor telling me they were offering me a SECOND TA shift, essentially doubling my tuition remission and stipend. and he needed an answer ASAP.

after 30 frantic minutes of rapid decision making, i decided i just couldnt pass up FULL TUITION REMISSION ( as in...i dont have to pay-anything-for school) on top of a stipend. so now, in addition to my course work AND part time work, i will have 20 hours of TA work (2 lab sections and grading). thankfully, i worked with the TA coordinator and arranged a friday afternoon lab section that allows me to work in silver spring for a half day in the morning, then jet on over to campus for my afternoon lab section.

im pretty sure i just officially signed over my social life.

i cant decide if this video is heartening or depressing

heaven is 2.5 hour drive south of DC: colonial williamsburg

question mark?

ye old colonial children!

i carry that bonnet so naturally, no?

waaaay too excited about pounding wood together

oh metro. there are no words

on top of dealing with 30+ minute metro delays, i was propositioned by a crazy obese black woman.

stuck somewhere between new york ave and rhode island ave the woman sitting across from me starts to yell 'LADY LADY LADY' to try and grab my attention. when i finally turn to look, her mouth spreads into a wide grin. 'you so seeeeexy, you so beauuuutiful". hhmmmm, flattering, but slightly awkward. "thanks?" i offer up, not really know how else to respond.

not deterred by my overtly uncomfortable reaction, she wages on while i flush progressively darker and darker red. 'Can i kiss you?' UMMM excuse me NO.

having dealt with my fare share of metro crazies, i know its best not to further 'rile the beast' so to speak, so i smiled and simply told her 'no' with an awkward giggle. she stared at me for a good long while, then burst out into a belly laugh, mumbling something under her breathe.

for the next 10 interminable minutes, i focused my eyes on anything and everything BUT her, while she continued to stare at me, her eyes boring into the side of my face. thank GOD she got off at the next stop, shouting out 'bye bye cutie pie' as she exited the train.

i guess this is what i get for switching up my morning commute

song of the moment: home

holy smokes with a cherry on top, i can now die a happy woman.

friday was the arcade fire concert, a band that has been lingering high on my must-see concert list for quite some time. they were certainly well worth the wait-a 90 minute show jam packed with songs from their AWESOME new cd mixed with a good dose of crowd pleasers. i think i may have peed my pants when the always favorite wake up came on and the entire audience sang along. their cd quality show certainly delivered on the classics, the semi awkward dancing, crazy antics (crowd surfing...from a hipster?!), and inspiring friend envy (i NEED to be the lead female vocal's bffl)

saturday morning i was up early for my grand adventure to williamsburg with erin, the ONLY one of my friends who matches my extreme (-ly obsessive) love for historical reenactments. Guidebook and maps in tow, we drove 4 hours south into the depths of virginia to check out colonial williamsburg (referred to as "CW" by locals, so naturally, we used the abbreviation all day). the early 18th century town was preserved to historical accuracy, providing ENDLESS hours of entertainment to visitors like me, crawling with reenactors dressed the part. for a jane austen fiend like myself, a visit to CW is pretty much up there with achieving nirvana. while they fell short of speaking in a british accents, they did keep in character and refer to visitors as "we" and "kind folk." LOVE IT. By mid afternoon, we had visited every last milliner, coffee shop, government building and garden in town. after a traditional meal of meat 'pye' and locally brewed ale, we scoped out MORE food to sniff out where to buy sweet potato muffins (per a coworkers recommendation. and fyi DELICIOUS). i think i may have to reconsider my grad school plans, move into one of the restored private homes in CW and become a full fledged historical reenactor.

once we had soaked up about all the history there was left in that town, we hit the road again for another major life milestone-a visit to cracker barrel. having passed the restaurant on many a road trip and scoffed at the ridiculous name, it had become somewhat of a mission in life to go there. after a long day of southern history, it was only fitting to jump several centuries forward in time and end our adventure at the classicaly southern restaurant. after a few minutes in the rocking chairs outside waiting to be called (YES there was a WAIT for cracker barrel), we were seated and set ourselves to the task of picking our artery clogging meals out of the hundreds of options. i opted for one of their 'specialties', country ham and biscuits. definitely southern cooking. i literally had to force myself to finish the last few bites, my belt buckle was straining a bit.

i'm practically southern now y'all

Pics to come!

i am officially the new TA for the fall semester Gen Bio 100 lab for non science majors! those poor, unsuspecting freshman are in for a treat (diabolical laugh)

in all seriousness, hopefully i can make science fun (CHEESE ball i know), inspire some eco love, or at least make these kids thing twice about ordering farmed salmon!!

following the MUCH anticipated return of miss allie rose from her grand south american adventure, i played mamma bear for a few days and took care of my travel weary roommate. a quick stop at CVS and we were stocked to the gills with saltines, gatorade, soup, and chocolate (BEST cure by far). under my careful care (and days in bed) she was back to health in no time!

when she was feeling a bit more energetic (read: could keep her eyes open for more than 10 consecutive minutes), we were whisked away by some friends for a mystery adventure (!!) that turned out to be a jaunt on H st. wandering around, we stopped off to get some hipster coffee (sova), scoped out a delicious looking moroccan tapas place (souk), and stopped off for some midday snacks in preparation for the marathon eating session later that evening. after we had stretched out our stomachs, we headed over to pasta mia for dinner which was beyond words. we waited over an HOUR in line (no reservations, no list...you just have to WAIT in line). needless to say our stomachs were eating themselves by the time we finally sat down. but boy OH BOY was it worth it. homemade pasta, portions large enough to make even adam richman blush. orgasmic pesto gnocchi, whole wheat ravioli, plates of salad, peppers and mozzarella the size of my head. heaven, in a nutshell. When we finally recovered the ability to move again, we rolled out of the restaurant, then back to our place for some rooftop vino with some friends. two glasses in, i strapped on my dancing shoes and took my asian posse out on the town to lucky bar for some dancing. the night was topped off by a quick stop at julias empanadas, stumbling back home and into falling bed.

sunday morning, i dragged my slightly hungover tush out of bed (two glasses of wine and i was DONE...where has my tolerance gone?!) and to the farmers market for some lettuce and perfect looking tomatos. later, we met up with erin for sunday morning brunch at open city. pre-meal, a hurricane set down, so we moved moved the party inside and enjoyed the rest of our leisurely brunch out of the rain and gale force wind.

bellies full, the roomy and i decided to make an impromptu shopping trip to check out the new warehouse style forever 21 downtown. allie made quite the haul with some pretty fab purchases while i was a little more low key, just a button up with a frilly things near the collar...very j crew esque:

(attempted covert shot)

loaded down with our purchases, we headed home to whip up some kebabs on our NEW GRILL on the roof topped off with some tasty white wine. zoe met us a little later, requisite girl talk ensued, then we all headed back down to the apartment to watch mad men.

pretty badass weekend.