Back from NYC, and I'm beat. It's 8pm and I'm about to go grab my clothes out of the dryer and call it a night.
Play by play? Get ready for it.
My schedule in the previous entry was pretty much on the nose, except my class was let out a little early, so I got to my friend's house earlier, which was a blessing. Thanksgiving is all about those. At the airport I saw a few Taylor people and IWU/Exit 59 kids. I can't really say "small world" because it is break, and we're only an hour away from the largest airport in the state. But I think I can say it because I actually ended up sitting across the isle from a Taylor kid.
Arrived at NYC, took a cab and met my brother, Nate, ate awesome bagel sandwiches, went to the mac store (makeup brand. not apple), parents arrived and we all went to the blowing up of the balloons where we met up with Lindsey, Nate's girlfriend. Chris and Angela followed shortly after, and we all ate take-out thai food at Nate's apartment.
Thursday we got up suuuuuper early (5am) to go to the parade. we secured a nice spot in the front and made some friends with the people around us. Parade was awesome. Took naps afterward and got ready for our Thanksgiving dinner at an amazing French place. The food was SO good. It was the traditional turkey, stuffing, sweet potato souffle, pumpkin soup, etc. but it was amazing. The french part came in during our appetizer, which was fondue, and dessert, which I chose creme brulee. I can't pass up a good creme brulee. We walked to Grand Central Station and Rockefeller Center and called it a night.
Friday was filled with NYC stuff like shopping, eating, etc. but that night we went to see Lion King. It was really good. Saturday we went to the market, I got some teas, and Chris and Angela left. The rest of us went to the Nutcracker Ballet. Also fantastic.
Left this morning, and now I'm back at Taylor for a week and a half and I'll head home for awhile. It's going to be a little weird to jump back into school work for just a week.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
balloons, lip-syncing floats, and marching bands.
"No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens."
-Abraham Lincoln
I'm killing time while waiting for my chance to sign out. I'm not going to get to be on break though until way later. I have a night class in Ft. Wayne tonight. Let me give a synopsis of my schedule for the next 16 hours or so:
4:45pm- leave for Ft. Wayne
6:00-9:00pm- class in Ft. Wayne
10:00pm - drop classmates off at Taylor and drive straight to a friend's house in Indy
11:00pm- arrive at friend's house and probably go to bed asap.
3:30am- wake up and get ready for airport
4:15am- leave for airport
5:00am- arrive at airport
7:15am board flight
9:20am- arrive in NYC
no sleep.
With all that being said, 5 days in the big apple with my family is going to be rad. I just found out today that Chris and Angela (brother and sister in law) are staying in Nathan's apartment with us, and my parents are getting a hotel. Party anyone? And by party, I mean staying up playing video games and watching movies.
I'm sure I'll have quite a bit when I come back.
Have a good Thanksgiving.
-Abraham Lincoln
I'm killing time while waiting for my chance to sign out. I'm not going to get to be on break though until way later. I have a night class in Ft. Wayne tonight. Let me give a synopsis of my schedule for the next 16 hours or so:
4:45pm- leave for Ft. Wayne
6:00-9:00pm- class in Ft. Wayne
10:00pm - drop classmates off at Taylor and drive straight to a friend's house in Indy
11:00pm- arrive at friend's house and probably go to bed asap.
3:30am- wake up and get ready for airport
4:15am- leave for airport
5:00am- arrive at airport
7:15am board flight
9:20am- arrive in NYC
no sleep.
With all that being said, 5 days in the big apple with my family is going to be rad. I just found out today that Chris and Angela (brother and sister in law) are staying in Nathan's apartment with us, and my parents are getting a hotel. Party anyone? And by party, I mean staying up playing video games and watching movies.
I'm sure I'll have quite a bit when I come back.
Have a good Thanksgiving.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening -Robert Frost
this came to mind today, as it was the first real snowfall of the year.
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
movie reviewing / but not in poetry form / well maybe, haikus?
The Fall (4 1/2 out of 5)
(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460791/)
C'est excellent. It's beautiful. It's similiar to Pan's Labrynth in the sense that there is a mystical other world back-story for the characters to "get away." The Fall takes place in a hospital where a injured, suicidal stuntman tells a story to a little girl with a broken arm. I like The Fall better than Pan's Labrynth. I really like when there's a heavy story with subtle comic relief like The Fall has, whereas Pan's has none, at least that I can remember. I am a huge fan of the surreal and the fantastic (fantastic meaning conceived from the imagination, not "great") and the dynamics between characters.
Quantum of Solace (2 1/2 out of 5)
Like most of the reviews have mentioned, it lacked plot. I disagree with the whole idea that most reviews said it was an angsty Bond-becoming-who-he-is movie with no action. I thought there was plenty of action, it just wasn't awesome. The movie is worth seeing in theaters just because it's one of the more anticipated movies of the year. I would suggest waiting until crowds go down, since we had a run in with obnoxious talkers and bad seats. Or if you don't mind being left out of the loop, just wait to rent it. It wasn't a bad movie. I personally liked the villain, Greene. He's a famous French actor. Quantum of Solace just didn't have any wow factor which I feel is necessary for a Bond movie.
The Pianist (3 1/2 out of 5)
This is an older film that I have wanted to see since it came out. I was 15 at the time and was therefore not allowed to watch it because of its R rating. Another heavy movie. I probably would have given it higher ratings, but I didn't really know exactly what I was getting into when I watched it, and it threw me off guard. It was a holocaust movie, which is enough to say right there. The story is about Adrian Brody's character, a Polish/Jewish pianist who is trying to survive and runs into a lot of "luck" and is pretty much the only person who survives. I kept asking myself throughout the movie though what his motivation or reason for living was. It seems like in those times, just wanting to live was not enough motivation, and it never was stated why he wanted to keep going. It was pretty much just a survival movie. I would suggest Schindler's List over this movie, but it's worth watching.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2 out of 5 stars)
There's something about watching a horrible musical at 2am that just gets ya. In my ridiculous mood last night, I may have given it a 4 out of 5. Seriously though, I love Andrew Lloyd Webber, don't get me wrong, but...what the? It's like Sunday School gone wrong. There are pretty great catchy songs in there like Any Dream Will Do (ah ah ahhhh) and Close Every Door, which need to be sung at the top of the lungs. In the end though, it has really unnecessary innuendos, God is never mentioned, and the message of the play is "If you can interpret dreams, you will be successful and have lots of riches." Silly nonsense, if you ask me. My roommate and I decided we could've written the whole musical ourselves.
(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460791/)
C'est excellent. It's beautiful. It's similiar to Pan's Labrynth in the sense that there is a mystical other world back-story for the characters to "get away." The Fall takes place in a hospital where a injured, suicidal stuntman tells a story to a little girl with a broken arm. I like The Fall better than Pan's Labrynth. I really like when there's a heavy story with subtle comic relief like The Fall has, whereas Pan's has none, at least that I can remember. I am a huge fan of the surreal and the fantastic (fantastic meaning conceived from the imagination, not "great") and the dynamics between characters.
Quantum of Solace (2 1/2 out of 5)
Like most of the reviews have mentioned, it lacked plot. I disagree with the whole idea that most reviews said it was an angsty Bond-becoming-who-he-is movie with no action. I thought there was plenty of action, it just wasn't awesome. The movie is worth seeing in theaters just because it's one of the more anticipated movies of the year. I would suggest waiting until crowds go down, since we had a run in with obnoxious talkers and bad seats. Or if you don't mind being left out of the loop, just wait to rent it. It wasn't a bad movie. I personally liked the villain, Greene. He's a famous French actor. Quantum of Solace just didn't have any wow factor which I feel is necessary for a Bond movie.
The Pianist (3 1/2 out of 5)
This is an older film that I have wanted to see since it came out. I was 15 at the time and was therefore not allowed to watch it because of its R rating. Another heavy movie. I probably would have given it higher ratings, but I didn't really know exactly what I was getting into when I watched it, and it threw me off guard. It was a holocaust movie, which is enough to say right there. The story is about Adrian Brody's character, a Polish/Jewish pianist who is trying to survive and runs into a lot of "luck" and is pretty much the only person who survives. I kept asking myself throughout the movie though what his motivation or reason for living was. It seems like in those times, just wanting to live was not enough motivation, and it never was stated why he wanted to keep going. It was pretty much just a survival movie. I would suggest Schindler's List over this movie, but it's worth watching.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2 out of 5 stars)
There's something about watching a horrible musical at 2am that just gets ya. In my ridiculous mood last night, I may have given it a 4 out of 5. Seriously though, I love Andrew Lloyd Webber, don't get me wrong, but...what the? It's like Sunday School gone wrong. There are pretty great catchy songs in there like Any Dream Will Do (ah ah ahhhh) and Close Every Door, which need to be sung at the top of the lungs. In the end though, it has really unnecessary innuendos, God is never mentioned, and the message of the play is "If you can interpret dreams, you will be successful and have lots of riches." Silly nonsense, if you ask me. My roommate and I decided we could've written the whole musical ourselves.
Friday, November 14, 2008
a small amount of consolation
I might make a website and call it "bragspot.com" and everyone can brag about their achievements or something. Also, it might make me rich enough to never have a real job and I can travel the world and write children's books the rest of my life.
::segue into update::
My semester has proved to be very uneventful thus far, and it's mostly my fault. I'm not taking very many credit hours and I find myself doing a lot of nothing. I could be doing a lot of writing or reading, but when I finally decide to, I have no motivation. In the last few days things have picked up a tad. I was asked (by my wonderful advisor) if I would like to write an article for a real newspaper. Don't get me wrong, my university's newspaper is great, but it's finally something out of school. Plus, it's about a local organic coffee business.
My brother called me again today about summer internships. He lives in NYC and wants me to think about getting one there. I'm going to check out stuff this weekend. I'm looking into doing something with OM Ministires, but I'm still waiting to hear back from them to see if it's even possible.
I think I'm going to do a movie review post later. I've watched a few movies recently that need analyzation.
::segue into update::
My semester has proved to be very uneventful thus far, and it's mostly my fault. I'm not taking very many credit hours and I find myself doing a lot of nothing. I could be doing a lot of writing or reading, but when I finally decide to, I have no motivation. In the last few days things have picked up a tad. I was asked (by my wonderful advisor) if I would like to write an article for a real newspaper. Don't get me wrong, my university's newspaper is great, but it's finally something out of school. Plus, it's about a local organic coffee business.
My brother called me again today about summer internships. He lives in NYC and wants me to think about getting one there. I'm going to check out stuff this weekend. I'm looking into doing something with OM Ministires, but I'm still waiting to hear back from them to see if it's even possible.
I think I'm going to do a movie review post later. I've watched a few movies recently that need analyzation.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
the start of something new.
I thought it was about time to make the move from my early high school livejournal blog.
My livejournal kept tabs on my semester in Ireland and my J-term in Greece and Italy. For travel adventures and a few random updates check http://a-chaudoin.livejournal.com/
My livejournal kept tabs on my semester in Ireland and my J-term in Greece and Italy. For travel adventures and a few random updates check http://a-chaudoin.livejournal.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)