The Greatest Adventure...

...Is the one you write yourself. Or quite possibly the one you find yourself in unintentionally. And by great... I mean... Well, the most unbelievable.

Enough rambling? Well... I've spent the past three weeks fighting illness and stubbornly refusing to go the doctors. For multiple reasons that matter not. However, never underestimate the power of grandmothers. When they want you to do something, you do it. So I want to the doctors. Prognosis?

Insanely bad sinus infection coupled with daily asthma attacks.

Really it was great fun.

After I finally got that taken care of, I found myself on the train back to Sacramento, drinking Starbucks instant coffee and surprised by how good it was when I realized something Major.

I'm halfway to Sacramento. But my wallet is still in LA.

Shit.

The train pulls into Sacramento around 11:33 pm. The last local train stopped running... Only god knows when, but it's not running now. The taxi drivers have to stop themselves from sneering in disgust when I ask if they take checks. And none of my 'friends' can bring themselves to answer the phone.

And ok, sure.. It's practically midnight, but still.... *sigh*

So I'm thinking, all isn't lost. I'll just sleep inside the Amtrak station for a few hours then take the first local train out. Sounds like a plan right? Wrong. Try, the station closed 20 minutes later and I got kicked out. Time for plan B. What's plan B? - You ask. Stay up all night sitting outside. Where it's freezing. Windy. And threatening to rain.

Oh, and where the Amtrak Security Guard keeps talking to you like you're some kind of hopeless bum lurking around waiting to cause trouble.

By the time the train came at around 3:50, I had on a pair of skinny jeans with a pair of regular jeans on top of them. I had on a wife beater, two t-shirts and a hoodie. Yet I was STILL freezing AND extremely tired seeing as I taken medicine with a "Warning may cause drowsiness" label on it, while still on the train..

By time I got home, it was 4:30 something. I took some cold medicine. Prayed I didn't get relapse into a cold from spending the night outside. Heard the sudden pouring rain and was thankful I made it home in time. Then collapsed in my bed and fell asleep.

The moral of the story? Always keep at least $30 on your person. That way you can at least catch a cab home.

Bucks Coffee?

Bucks Coffee?, originally uploaded by nicolemonet2002.

So, everyone's heard the whispers about Starbucks' instant and dollar coffee. And I'm sure.... Everyone has also thought, "Great, there goes the quality." Or at the very least, I know I did. As a former barista and life long coffee drinker the very idea of instant coffee is a bit offensive.

Well while I was in LA for Spring Break I ran into a a few old friends [read baristas] and got my hands on a packet of instant Starbucks coffee; as well as a couple pounds of beans. Naturally, that packet of instant coffee was thrown to the bottom of my bag while I fantasized about: getting home, grinding the coffee beans, and then making the perfect cup of coffee.

So I know what you're thinking, "Well where does the instant coffee come in?"

Let me ask you, have you ever taken an Amtrak train and wanted coffee? If you have, you know that what masquerade's as coffee is nothing more then brown colored water. And it just so happened that on my ride back to Sacramento I had an insanely strong urge for a good cup of coffee.

So what did I do?

I got the instant Starbucks Coffee out and prepared to be underwhelmed by an instant coffee that was only slightly better then the brown water alternative offered by Amtrak.

Only I was completely blown away over the coffee. It smelled and tasted as if the coffee had just been freshly brewed. It was amazing. I almost felt a little smug. After all, while the rest of the train was stuck pretending they enjoyed the hot water they were drinking; while I was drinking this cup of amazing.

Now the only problem? You can only get these portably cups of amazing on the east coast.... That is, unless you do the smart thing and order online....

Kraftwerk

Kraftwerk, originally uploaded by nicolemonet2002.

So....

Today has been a great day. Or rather, a great addition to this past week - Which was a great week. (As a whole).

I applied for a job as Concert Promoter Intern. How perfect for me does that job sound, right? That's why I spent about an hour creating a resume that's only about a page long. *Shrugs* I want that job. If only because, they would have to be understanding about my taking time of for Coachella & Bonnaroo.

In other news, I need to take the Writing Proficiency Exam next month. I have to take and pass this test so I can take the rest of my upper division courses. So that I can GRADUATE! I'm ready for that. Before I wasn't, which is possibly why my major changed so many times.

By and by... I can't wait for Coachella.

Life has a funny way...

When I think back on 2008 the last few lines of Alanis Morissette's "Ironic" come to mind. 

Life has a funny way, of sneaking up on you...

Life has a funny, funny way.. Of helping you out.

Why those lines? Because, in retrospect they describe last year coming into this one. There were a lot of things I wanted to do, but was never able to due to different situations. Then, one by one things that I'd always wanted started happening hand in hand with things I hoped never would. 

The experience of 2008 and subsequently, life here after created a sort of bitter sweet dichotomy. And I'm starting to realize that, that dichotomy is the very definition of life. 

Academic Crush

I realized today that I have one. An academic crush that is. Now I'm sure the first question on the tip of your tongue is.... 'What exactly do you mean by that?'

Well, give me a moment, because it took me two weeks to classify. See, it's all about my Coms Professor. She's rather brilliant and she fascinates me. I'm not sure what it is exactly, but every class my mind is dually tracked. One side avidly paying attention, taking notes and participating in whatever discussion we would be currently having in class. And through all of this, my mind will be trying to deconstruct her [my professor].

Through this process I've thoroughly convinced myself that she's a lesbian, because of a few different tells that I've noticed she has. Unfortunately this realization has only lead to even MORE quiet interest on my part. Now I find myself wondering what her partner is like. Because, I want to know what kind of woman would capture and keep her attention. Not because I'm secretly hoping to mold myself into whatever she wants... No no. I simply want to know.

And after I know all there is to know, I want to have discussions with her. About everything and nothing. I want to get her opinions on different things, maybe even argue on certain topics.

It's odd. I'm not sure if this uncalled for interest says something negative about my character or not. All I know is, it's there and I look forward to the class three days a week.\\

In other news - I'm now a firm believer in the Americano as the supreme king of coffee and espresso

Body Modification

It's culture.

Some would say that body mod/manip, or however else people would like to label it as, is nothing more then people doing disgusting things with their body. 

The bible thumper would say that we're desecrating our; ahem, excuse me, the LORDS temple.

The business oriented cooperate climbers would give us a glance and then assure us we'd never get a job worth anything

While the common everyday passerby would find themselves glancing our way with out a seconds thought. That is until, that thought caught up with them and they realized exactly what it was they were seeing.

Society dictates that to be acceptable is to be clean shaven, clean skinned and with as little unnatural holes and scars as possible. 

That's why to see someone walking down the street with two inch holes in their ears, creates the immediate sympathy twinge. Because of course, that HAD to hurt. And after the sympathy comes the annoyance. 'What was the POINT of that?' 'Must people always work so hard to be different?' 'Don't they realize that by their very modified nature they now create unrest wherever they go?' 'Don't they realize that anything out of the accepted social norms for our society is a threat?'

Of course not. And why would we? When it's perfectly acceptable to pierce your infants ears, why is not then acceptable for that infant to grow up and take it a step further?

When we live in a society that actually finds grounds to debate whether woman have a right to do what they will with their body, it should come as no surprise that people can't help the disgust they feel when looking at our modified bodies.

They look at us and see vehicles for unrest. People that defy social norms for no other reason, than because they can. And of course, in every culture there are those that turn it into a 'scene' a fad, if you will. 

But that over simplified view of things completely ignores the dedication, pain and money involved. 

Often times you hear stories of the kid in High School that got shit from his follow students for looking different. And upon taking it to the principle, got dressed down for bringing it upon himself by being different, before being told to take out the piercing/cover up that tattoo/hide those scars.

Does it matter that it took you 8 months and however much money, to get to where you are? Does it matter that that tattoo was painstakingly designed by hand before an artist of the craft painted it on your skin?

No. Because society will resist change for as long as it exists. However, as long as it exists, there will be change. 

Because the two are mutually exclusive. One can not exist with out the other.

It's beginning to look a lot like...

Waiting for Arcade Fire, originally uploaded by nicolemonet2002.

So I've been in Sacramento since August now and I spent the first...4 months utterly hating it here! Well not really. I spent the first 4 months in shock. This... cold, randomly cut off, insanely small and culturally bereft [in comparison to LA ] place is in California? These months of depression filled shock were made of the same rutine. School. Home. School. Home. Sleep for a few hours. School.

Oh right. Did I mention I was maxing about 10 hours a week of sleep?

It was an ugly, ugly time.

HOWEVER!! [cues trumpets and gorgeous angels playing the harp while singing] This semester seems to be looking up in a big way. I mean if you ignore the fact that my brain has decided to live in the constant state of migraine... Or you know, the sinus cold trying to kick my ass.... [Which we are.] I've got great classes, great teachers and most importantly [drum roll] I'm meeting cool people. Even if it's just fellow students that I'll talk to for 5 or so minutes as we leave class.... It's nice.

Or maybe, this sudden change in thought is due to the very near prospect of Spring. Which of course, brings with it the beginning of FESTIVAL SEASON!

I feel like I might have underplayed this very lovely time of the year. So let me paint the picture... [Now we're going to ignore the fact that it just rained for a week and a half straight with the highest median tempurture being somewhere around 55F] ... Flowers are starting to bloom; trees are starting to flirt with the color green; while the weather is still cold, the sun is starting to shine a little brighter on the freshly cleaned sidewalks; and with each day you can almost feel the sweat soaked shirt and the insanely wide grin you'll be wearing as your new favorite band plays your new favorite song.

Now yes, I realize this could all just be in my head [not in a crazy, i'm really in a straight jacket imagining everything kind of way], but in a 'No longer frighteningly depressed' kind of way. Either way... it's nice.

And to top the "Reasons why we love the coming of Spring" list is.... Well, the Music Festivals of course.  Spring is the season that officially kicks of the season of festivals.

I read an article yesterday that said the Sasquatch Music Festival taking place May 23rd - 25th in the Washington Gorge, kicked off the Festival season. Unfortunately that article was written by a journalist who never quite got a handle on the order of the months. For the first festival [here in the US, I haven't made it over seas yet] is the California king, Coachella Music and Arts Festival that will take place April 17 - 19th. Or if you're a die hard Coachella Experience fan and camper, April 16th - 20th. THEN comes Sasquatch, which admittedly has a pretty great line-up [so great in fact that if I can muster up a job between now and then I maybe heading to Washington that weekend]. And following quickly on the heals of Sasquatch will be BONNAROO Music and Arts Festival, which will be June 11-14 in Manchester, TN. Bonnaroo's line-up of course is the reason why, Sasquatch, though infinitely closer, will most likely not be happening for me this year.

There are quite a few other festivals going on this summer of course, but the above mentioned are the ones I'm most excited about. Mainly, because I've got tickets to two of them and if there's a way, the third will follow.

Now for an abrupt scene change

I applied for a camp councilor position about four weeks ago now.  However, while I've now had a phone interview and spoken with the guy in charge of hiring a few times [good conversations I might add; laughter was involved.] I  STILL haven't heard whether or not I've gotten the camp counicilor position. At this point, a simple yay or nay would suffice, because the SUSPENSE is annoying. Not killing me, just annoying.