Empire State of Mind

Let's play a little game I like to call "Can Donna Fit That Into Her Luggage?"


Photo 1. This is some of the accessory stuff.

Photo 2. Some of my clothing and more accessories.

My eye obviously did not measure my junk correctly. I had to cut about half of my stuff to fit it into what is now called the "tiny luggage". As of right now, the luggage is under weight and packed.


Yesterday, my family and friends threw me a surprise going away party and it was amazing. I will miss everyone dearly. I also was able to meet up with some fellow RPCV in College Station, which gave me confidence and a sense of peace.


I'd like to post more but at the moment I'm taking in every moment I can with my family. (I type as my mother stares at me)




"New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of,
There's nothing you can't do,
Now you're in New York!
These streets will make you feel brand new,
Big lights will inspire you,
Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York"
Empire State of Mind Part 2 Broken Down - Alicia Keys

Wide Open Spaces

An amazing friend of mine sent me a birthday package with 6 books, 3 mix cd's, and one of the sweetest cards I've ever received. These are all gifts that will help me with my travels and remember the good times back in Tejas.

Wide Open Spaces was one of the songs that I found to perfectly describe me today and my adventures in life. This song I find parallels with another Dixie Chicks song, The Long Way Around. I often am asked why I have such a odd lifestyle and I always respond that I stay open to opportunities and snatch them up when they appear; regardless on how crazy they may be or sound. There are days when I wish my opportunities weren't best friends with my failures though. Today feels like one of those days...only 2 weeks away from my departure it looks as if a hiccup has occurred. As with all adventures in life it wouldn't be the same if it worked out smoothly. What happens will happen and I will learn from it all.




"She needs wide open spaces
Room to make her big mistakes
She needs new faces
She knows the high stakes


She traveled this road as a child
Wide eyed and grinning, she never tired
But now she won't be coming back with the rest
If these are life's lessons, she'll take this test"
Wide Open Space - Dixie Chicks

Play My Song Mr. Tambourine!

Everyone loves a photo journal so here is mine. I have found myself taking in every detail of my life and trying to remember how it feels, smells, and tastes (does not apply to all situations). Here are some photos I'd like to look back on and associate with good times and giggles.
On the left is possible stuff to get into the bags and on the right are my bags. This includes a carry-on backpack, carry-on rollie bag, rollie luggage bag, and a hiking bag (with a yoga mat strapped on). I'm missing little stuff at this point but hopefully I will get everything reorganized and added in as time progresses.



Stuff I'll miss: Cupcakes from Frost and Sprinkles. They are both delicious and cute.
Pani puri.. Thanks to some friends I love this stuff as well as some other nummy Indian food.

Oh they look beautiful don't they?! Sadly, I sold off the orange ones (Omaha show). Ah such is life. I'm excited about these last concerts. Let Mr. Dave Matthews sing #41 for me (pass that along).

"Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me

I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you"
- Mr. Tambourine Man by Bob Dylan

American Girl

OH the lists begin and the paperwork never ends.


The 3-Day Events

09/22/10
6:09am
-Fly out of Houston (3hr 21min)


10:30am
-Arrive at Philadelphia


12:00pm
-Registration


2:00pm - 4:25pm
-Who We Are
-What's Expected of You


4:45pm - 7:00pm
-What You Expect
-What's Next
-Closing


7:00pm-?
-Philly Shenanigans


09/23/10
11:00am
-Check Out


1:15pm
-Leave for JFK Airport


9:40pm
-Flight Leaves for Germany (7hr 50min)


09/24/10
11:30am
-Arrive in Frankfurt (2hr layover)


1:30pm
-Leave for Baku (4hr 25min)


8:55pm
-Arrive in Baku




"She couldn't help thinkin'
That there was a little more life somewhere else
After all it was a great big world
With lots of places to run to"
American Girl - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

American Baby

"He attacked everything in life with a mix of extraordinary genius and naive incompetence, and it was often difficult to tell which was which" -Douglas Adams

13 weeks to go!

I don't want to come off as not excited but I don't think I'm going to start preparing for everything until August. When I saw that other people were getting invites and that they were working on their packing list I acquired this odd panic. It started with me staring in lab at the wall and now in class I seem to lose my train of thought and blank out. Then on top of that simple English seems to be slipping. In my humorous state these behaviors seem to amuse most of the people around me but I've found the remedy and their jokes will now CEASE! HAHA! My walking boot comes off tomorrow and I smell freedom in the form of running. I desperately need a good run and maybe some ABBA.

I've had some time (aka Lab/Class Lectures) to rank my concerns/goals for the time before I leave.

Level of Importance Hierarchy:

1. Family

2. Friends

3. Fun (Travel, Concerts, Hiking, Running, etc..)

4. Language Training

5. Packing Conundrum

6. Class

7. Lab

This order was devised during our weekly Journal Club/Lab Meeting where I was not prepared for the paper or showing any sign of attentiveness. NOW my amazing news for the lab can't be discussed until a paper is published BUT it's mind-blowing and I hope that I get fancy copies of it when it is eventually published.

I made the title of this blog "American Baby" because my little sister will sing me the chorus of that song at random times, letting me know that she wants me to "STTTAYYYYY American Baby". She also reminds me regularly that I haven't posted anything on this blog and I apologize to the people who get through my muddled words and actively come back to read more...you are incredible.

So Damn Lucky

As I am about to dive into my May course all I can think about is what I need to do and when (this is not conducive to my grades). My solution is this handy-dandy blog, this post will now be my To-Do/Bucket List Tracker (TDBLT)...oh yeah PC style! That's something I probably should add to the side, acronyms, since half the time it confuses me.


May: Accept Invitation [done]
Peace Corps Passport [done]
Visa Application [done]
Aspiration Statement [done]
Updated Resume [done]
ALEC course [done]


June:
Committee Meeting [moved to August]
Plant Disease Course
Start Turkish Training [started]
Start Organic Gardening
Finish Cloning Project [HA!]
Harry Potter Theme Park


July:
Plant Disease Course
Turkish Training
Organic Gardening
Dave Concert
Dollywood
Visit Tennessee
Cyndee's Wedding (Florida)


August:
Move out of College Station
Lilith Fair
Jack Johnson Concert
My Birfdaee!
Committee Meeting


September:
Disneyland Half-Marathon
Dave Concerts II, III, & IV
Pack Clothes
Go "Live with Willy Wonka"


"Everything's different
My head in the clouds
..
Oh, my god wait and see
what will soon come of me"
So Damn Lucky-DMB

I am the Proudest Monkey!

*drumroll* Now ladies and gentlemen, the country that I have been invited to is Azerbaijan! I received the package yesterday. I will post more when I start feeling better. Sadly, I haven't been able to look through everything. I just returned from Florida where I attended my grandfather's funeral and on the drive back my sinus issues turned into a full-fledged painful head cold. For the next 3 days I will be cramming for my finals then starting my new course for May. No rest for the wicked. HAHA!

"Then comes the day

Staring at myself I turn to question me

I wonder do I want the simple,

simple life that I once lived in well

Oh things were quiet then

In a way they were the better days

But now I am the PROUDEST MONKEY!"

Proudest Monkey- DMB