Oy oy oy. Just got off the late late bus from Cambridge only to come home to a beeping fire alarm, which I then had to rip off the wall, standing precariously on a chair and a can of Swiss Miss. All better now.
Highlights of my week (find exciting in the mundane!):
Tuesday- Go to Concord to hike around and look for ferns. Stop for delicious ice cream. See some cool lookin' bugs. Wander in a field of wildflowers. And yet, without my girls, lacks a certain magic.
Thursday- Meeting with advisor. Survive...only slightly embarrassed at my inability to identify trees.
Friday- Orientation. Meet a couple other grad students and go to the BU gym for the first time. I take the single worst ID picture in the history of ID pictures. Like an idiot I take off my glasses to look cute. So then when the photographer tells me to "look at the red arrow" I can't see jack shit, so my picture comes out with my eyes wandering around the frame, glazed and unfocused, like a SLOW CHILD (eh, rach?).
Head out to Porter Square in the evening to meet up with Rachel and Romain, who have come to pick up Carmella. We hang out outside of a CVS on a picnic table, where we eat cake and ice cream in the rain.
Saturday- Tropical Storm Danny brings completely unimpressive amounts of rainfall. I juggle two parties in Cambridge, a grad student party with delicious cupcakes and Sarah Z, Anna Mullen, Sam Grausz's birthday party! Quite a lot of Amherst going on there, many familiar faces. I was so surprised to realize that so many people I know are in this lovely city...and in lovely apartments as well. Ahh, to have a salary!
That's about all. Classes start next week! Eep.
Saturday 29 August 2009
Get our your VAD!
Hi dears, I just got back from my Pre-Service Orientation in Albuquerque last night and I start work on Monday. PSO was incredibly interesting, throwing 216 Vistas from all over the country serving in the Southwest. Ages ranged from 19-62 and with diversity easily rivaling Amherst. The three days were not unlike orientation, everyone trying to feel each other out, cliqueing, sexiling, etc. I made friends with, not surprisingly, the hipsters, indie kids, and organic farmers. We started giving people epithets. There was Crying Girl who always looked like she was crying, Slayer who refers to sex as slaying (can you believe this?), etc. etc.
I'm so tired after PSO, mainly from non-PSO related things. Alyssa, my new Austin friend, and I made friends with Albuquerque Vistas so we got to visit organic farms around Albuquerque and hot springs in the Jimemez Mountains (pronounced Haymen although I obviously called them the Hymen Mtns). I even got to see Bill (who's going to start posting for Jess)! Although the training itself was boring, there were a few highlights. All the vistas received Volunteer Assignment Descriptions, aka VADs, which obviously sounds like a lady's lady bits. Choice quotes from this week, "Get to know your VAD. Feel free to make changes and notes on it", "Discuss your VAD with your supervisor frequently", and inexplicably hilarious "your VAD is not set in stone."
This song (my favorite of the trip) feels like driving to the Jimenez Mountains
Great Lake Swimmers - Your Rocky Spine
I'm so tired after PSO, mainly from non-PSO related things. Alyssa, my new Austin friend, and I made friends with Albuquerque Vistas so we got to visit organic farms around Albuquerque and hot springs in the Jimemez Mountains (pronounced Haymen although I obviously called them the Hymen Mtns). I even got to see Bill (who's going to start posting for Jess)! Although the training itself was boring, there were a few highlights. All the vistas received Volunteer Assignment Descriptions, aka VADs, which obviously sounds like a lady's lady bits. Choice quotes from this week, "Get to know your VAD. Feel free to make changes and notes on it", "Discuss your VAD with your supervisor frequently", and inexplicably hilarious "your VAD is not set in stone."
This song (my favorite of the trip) feels like driving to the Jimenez Mountains
Great Lake Swimmers - Your Rocky Spine
Friday 28 August 2009
Home again, after more coming and going
I've spent the past four days on my dad's boat with my siblings, cruising down the coast of Maine. I love Maine! (which you all know, of course.) It was so beautiful -- dark dark blue ocean, lighter blue skies, little puffs of white clouds and, best of all, the stony, craggy, piney islands that dot the coves. There is no place like Western Mass., and there is no place like Maine's northern coast ("Downeast" as the lobstermen would call it). It was glorious to have a series of sun-drenched, boat-rocked, book-filled, ocean-loved hours, aside from the occasional awkward moment -- when we stopped on my dad's ex-girlfriend's island to enjoy a cozy lobster bake together, for example.
After four days of non-stop family-time -- with the full group of Sibley siblings together -- I've been doing a lot of thinking about the odd nature of family. On the one hand, my siblings and I are in a neatly unique position -- we're all old enough to be considered legal adults and, more importantly, mature enough to engage each other without squabbling over the front seat or pulling out each other's hair (literally). We can treat each other like friends, not just siblings. No longer children, we're also pre-children, and can enjoy each other's company without the preoccupation of our own kids. Hopefully our childlessness will last, but my sister started asking me about wedding dresses this week, so who knows how long we'll be so free -- perhaps only a few years more. On the other hand, as siblings, we're all wrapped up in our own independent lives. That is to say, none of us spend much time checking in with each other when we're not together -- a fact that, for better or worse, makes us more like siblings than friends. I don't think my siblings (particularly my older brother and sister, less so of my younger brother) know me particularly well as a person. I will always be their younger sister, and thus relegated to a certain status, a certain box, a certain personality -- perhaps a caricature of myself. (I think this is also true of my relationship with my dad, but not my mom.) I am certain that you all know me, as a real person, far better than my siblings, making you closer in some ways. And I do think of you -- accurately -- as my Chapman family (or tribe, which I like). At the same time, my siblings will always be uniquely positioned in their closeness to me -- because of shared DNA and personal histories. So that's it I suppose: No choice but to confront the strange estranged closeness of sibling relationships, on a boat in Maine. All that notwithstanding, it was great to see them.
After four days of non-stop family-time -- with the full group of Sibley siblings together -- I've been doing a lot of thinking about the odd nature of family. On the one hand, my siblings and I are in a neatly unique position -- we're all old enough to be considered legal adults and, more importantly, mature enough to engage each other without squabbling over the front seat or pulling out each other's hair (literally). We can treat each other like friends, not just siblings. No longer children, we're also pre-children, and can enjoy each other's company without the preoccupation of our own kids. Hopefully our childlessness will last, but my sister started asking me about wedding dresses this week, so who knows how long we'll be so free -- perhaps only a few years more. On the other hand, as siblings, we're all wrapped up in our own independent lives. That is to say, none of us spend much time checking in with each other when we're not together -- a fact that, for better or worse, makes us more like siblings than friends. I don't think my siblings (particularly my older brother and sister, less so of my younger brother) know me particularly well as a person. I will always be their younger sister, and thus relegated to a certain status, a certain box, a certain personality -- perhaps a caricature of myself. (I think this is also true of my relationship with my dad, but not my mom.) I am certain that you all know me, as a real person, far better than my siblings, making you closer in some ways. And I do think of you -- accurately -- as my Chapman family (or tribe, which I like). At the same time, my siblings will always be uniquely positioned in their closeness to me -- because of shared DNA and personal histories. So that's it I suppose: No choice but to confront the strange estranged closeness of sibling relationships, on a boat in Maine. All that notwithstanding, it was great to see them.
Tuesday 25 August 2009
Nursing!
Hi Loves,
I have completed day 2 of orientation for nursing school! I like it. Everyone is nice... I love my big sibling. She took me to eat sushi tonight. I am very very sleepy. But I wanted to post, and be good for once! (it's ACTUALLY tuesday!)
Milo and I are heading down to boca grande tomorrow for one last hurrah of HEAT and SUMMER before I start school and he starts (paid) volunteer work. I would say more, but I too sleepy. Love you all and miss you all and I'm looking forward to seeing EVERYONE when you all descend upon New Haven.
Juicy smooches,
Megan
I have completed day 2 of orientation for nursing school! I like it. Everyone is nice... I love my big sibling. She took me to eat sushi tonight. I am very very sleepy. But I wanted to post, and be good for once! (it's ACTUALLY tuesday!)
Milo and I are heading down to boca grande tomorrow for one last hurrah of HEAT and SUMMER before I start school and he starts (paid) volunteer work. I would say more, but I too sleepy. Love you all and miss you all and I'm looking forward to seeing EVERYONE when you all descend upon New Haven.
Juicy smooches,
Megan
(sentimental) musings from the Farm
Hello all! Here I am, back on my beloved farm nestled in the great gorgeous magical mystical forests of the Pacific Northwest. I've dreamt of being back here all year long, since I left last summer, and it feels amazing to wake up on this land again. In a way though, being here can be a bit confusing and challenging at times as well. I'm surrounded by all of these incredible and inspiration people, and I share some kind of connection with nearly everyone, which makes this place so important to me. But on the other hand, there's also the underlying force of The Farm on which most of them Live and Share so much time, energy and love, all year round! They are more than willing to share and open their hearts and home to me without hesitation, but I feel a certain disconnect from it at times, and that's okay. Those are the challenging and more uncomfortable moments for me, where I realize I'm an outsider in so many ways - for better or for worse. Times like those make me wish I lived here as a full-time resident, but they also make me think of my own "tribe," or my place of belonging and the people that I share it with. I belong somewhere too, wholeheartedly connected to a land, a place, and a people - and those people are you! and that place is our tiny corner of the country, nestled away in our own magical mystical land of forests, farms, mountains, streams and lakes. And that realization empowers me, brings me peace and happiness- bittersweet as it may be. As my last semester at Amherst approaches, I think about how I won't have a real Reason to be there anymore after December. But then again, what reason do I have to be in Portland, Oregon in the middle of August? None except to share some time with people I love on a land that nourishes me, spirit mind and body. So, that will be Western Mass for me as well. I will look to the land and the people (wherever you may be) as a haven, a respite, a place to rest my soul and come home. My tribe.
Feeling blessed, sending love -
Carmella
PS I helped kill two chickens today. Dinner!
Feeling blessed, sending love -
Carmella
PS I helped kill two chickens today. Dinner!
Sunday 23 August 2009
hobo bobo
I purposefully shirked my saturday blogging duty in order to have more to say now! I'm sitting in Rachel's spacious kitchen, banana-walnut-blueberry-chocolate chip bread in the oven, having just come home from sitting in a river in Montague.
This part of the river was down a path fringed with wildflowers. We waded in the river for a ways before deciding to lose our sundresses and dump our bodies in the foot or so of bubbling water. Shortly thereafter, it started monsoon-ing, so we got to watch enormous water droplets bombarding the river, with our bodies safely submerged, out of the reach of mosquitoes and rain.
Earlier today we went to Rao's and I had my usual, mocha and a raspberry oat muffin. We ran into Romain and studied/read with him and also made friends with a friendly glass-blower dude who works at the Gypsy Dog Gallery (which seems to be new-ish).
Yesterday, as Rachel said, was full of wide vistas and swimming holes, avocado-tomato-blueberry-plum-tortilla chip picnics, and some chilling out at the Moan and Dove with the likes of Scott and Sara, Jordan and Chris.
Some things I've learned this weekend:
There's nothing like Western Mass.
There are two kinds of glass blowing techniques.
Bo-bo stands for Bohemian Bourgeois (or possibly the other way around).
The world viewed from water level is divine and silencing.
This part of the river was down a path fringed with wildflowers. We waded in the river for a ways before deciding to lose our sundresses and dump our bodies in the foot or so of bubbling water. Shortly thereafter, it started monsoon-ing, so we got to watch enormous water droplets bombarding the river, with our bodies safely submerged, out of the reach of mosquitoes and rain.
Earlier today we went to Rao's and I had my usual, mocha and a raspberry oat muffin. We ran into Romain and studied/read with him and also made friends with a friendly glass-blower dude who works at the Gypsy Dog Gallery (which seems to be new-ish).
Yesterday, as Rachel said, was full of wide vistas and swimming holes, avocado-tomato-blueberry-plum-tortilla chip picnics, and some chilling out at the Moan and Dove with the likes of Scott and Sara, Jordan and Chris.
Some things I've learned this weekend:
There's nothing like Western Mass.
There are two kinds of glass blowing techniques.
Bo-bo stands for Bohemian Bourgeois (or possibly the other way around).
The world viewed from water level is divine and silencing.
i've been negligent of postchap, but it seems we all have ! may be because we've been seeing so much of each other !
or life's just been busier - orientation is nearing so all my little preparatory tasks are more pressing.. carmz and cait have flopped places - cait's just returned from costa and carmz left for oregon - almost simultaneously - certainly selena's on her way to austin (shit, i originally wrote "selena's on her way to boston" .. if only!) - megan has a milo ..
haha, here i am, still being the harry potter clock of all my chaps-women/man! anyway, point is that once we're all settled down in our schools and jobs, posting to chapman will be more regular !!
news from the life: i've got rosie here in amherst this weekend! picked her up in worcester yesterday and we went exploring the towns and ponds of rte 9 east.. spent a while high up on a hill in spencer, mass. - cooled off in a big residentialized lukewarm lake - then snacked on the shores of the quabbin . day full of lovely nothings like that.
ok. LOVE, rach
or life's just been busier - orientation is nearing so all my little preparatory tasks are more pressing.. carmz and cait have flopped places - cait's just returned from costa and carmz left for oregon - almost simultaneously - certainly selena's on her way to austin (shit, i originally wrote "selena's on her way to boston" .. if only!) - megan has a milo ..
haha, here i am, still being the harry potter clock of all my chaps-women/man! anyway, point is that once we're all settled down in our schools and jobs, posting to chapman will be more regular !!
news from the life: i've got rosie here in amherst this weekend! picked her up in worcester yesterday and we went exploring the towns and ponds of rte 9 east.. spent a while high up on a hill in spencer, mass. - cooled off in a big residentialized lukewarm lake - then snacked on the shores of the quabbin . day full of lovely nothings like that.
ok. LOVE, rach
Saturday 22 August 2009
Reiterating Selena on how wonderful Amherst was this past weekend. Wonderful! Julian, Cait: I was sorry to miss you, but see you soon enough! The many current and soon-to-be residents of the Valley was enough to make me super excited about settling down there for one more year. A few people asked if it was weird to go back. The truth is that the past four years have been marked by so much coming and going out of Amherst that one more trip there and away felt natural. I suppose some now have incomes (Scott, Sara[h?] DZ) or apartments (Sarah Z., Ben Vincent) but it's more or less the same.
Also reiterating Carmella on the great love-fest that the past few days have been. Tovah A., Segoshi, other old friends, and Monty in New York; Megan and Milo in New Haven; and so many loves in Amherst. Now Mima, my sister; Calvin, my older brother; Sibby, my younger brother; and Sam, my sister's boyfriend are up in Maine, so the love-all continues.
On another love note, we saw The Time-Traveler's Wife tonight. Ohmygod soooooooo cheesy.
Also reiterating Carmella on the great love-fest that the past few days have been. Tovah A., Segoshi, other old friends, and Monty in New York; Megan and Milo in New Haven; and so many loves in Amherst. Now Mima, my sister; Calvin, my older brother; Sibby, my younger brother; and Sam, my sister's boyfriend are up in Maine, so the love-all continues.
On another love note, we saw The Time-Traveler's Wife tonight. Ohmygod soooooooo cheesy.
Friday 21 August 2009
HOME!
... has been great, except my dad keeps nagging me about how much I'm on the computer. I tell him, "DAD! I check the NYTimes and my blogs in the morning and gchat at night!" It made me realize how much of home is not here. I just got back from Amherst (and before that New York and before that Boston). I'll do a recap picture post but check out the facebook album for the full album. Amherst was lovely, full of the best sides of Amherst -- discovering swimming holes (or rivers, as the case may be), fabulous dinner parties, and lazily hanging out. Now I'm home and I have until tomorrow morning to pack up my incredible amount of shit as well as tie up a few loose ends. Then on Tuesday, I fly to Albuquerque for training! Updates on apartment and training coming!
more photos to follow...
more photos to follow...
Sunday 16 August 2009
sea of love
I've been swimming in a sea of lovely friends for some time now (well, all summer really). Last weekend at Megan's farm was (obviously) amazing, and Sammy Jo arrived the Monday after, and Charlotte (my good friend from Miami, best buddies since 2nd grade!) flew in on Tuesday and Megan came back Wednesday and Thursday I took a day off from work (oops!) and Friday was my last day working at camp and also Sammy Jo's 23rd birthday (!!) and Saturday the 3 of us walked to Noho and poked around. Charlotte can't get over the "mountains" and the cuteness of this whole place, and it has been a blessing to get to share this land of love with her! Today we're going to the Roadhouse cafe, as well as the Book Mill, Peace Pagoda, Shelbourne Falls, and the FREE Greenfield Harvest Supper Celebration! Yes! Selena, Sarah Z and Becky come in from NYC tonight, Rachel gets back from Michigan tomorrow and is bringing my friend Whitney over from Boston (and Rosie?) and then Tuesday is Destry and AHHHHH. life is love.
here are some photos of the love fest!! I miss all you other babies! ♥
sunflowerly yours, carms!
here are some photos of the love fest!! I miss all you other babies! ♥
sunflowerly yours, carms!
Saturday 15 August 2009
hey babies!
i have been terribly negligent of the blog in recent weeks... but this isn't to say that i haven't been truly bursting with feelings of chapman love this month. i have gotten to see more of all of you than i ever imagined when walking away from chapman sobbing, though of course there are some gaping holes in that generalization that look suspiciously like hannah, becky, cait and jess. i miss you four!
i had a wonderful wonderful time in amherst on wednesday with carmella, friend from home charlotte, sam (!!), and rachel... and a highlight included tromping from carmella's through the woods in the dark to puffer's, where rachel and i proceeded to skinny dip, but then had no towels... so getting back into our clothes without filling them with dirt clung to wet skin was challenging. we succeeded! well, half. rachel walked home with no pants. :)
destry bean -- i know what you mean about how the fight over health care is revealing the hideous state of our democracy, and really, how shitty republicans are! it's sad, because one of the things i loved most about obama taking office was just how committed he was/is to ending bipartisan bullshit in this country, but now i just feel like republicans are bullshit. please someone... enlighten me?
on a lighter note, milo arrives on tuesday! i am really happy about this. i've been telling him all about seeing the chapman brood, and he says hi to everyone. :) and speaking of milo, he has JUST made himself a myspace page, as he has been making songs... he most recently made a baltimore house style song, and thinks its something dave nada might play at a party. woot! unfortunately my lame-o boyfriend won't let me listen to it until he's here, so he told me about his page, and then said i can't play the song! so stupid! however, you can all listen if you so desire. ha! it's: http://www.myspace.com/milodee. his other two songs he made this spring/early summer are there too. enjoy!
love you all,
megan / house job fairy (it was really ME all the long!)
i have been terribly negligent of the blog in recent weeks... but this isn't to say that i haven't been truly bursting with feelings of chapman love this month. i have gotten to see more of all of you than i ever imagined when walking away from chapman sobbing, though of course there are some gaping holes in that generalization that look suspiciously like hannah, becky, cait and jess. i miss you four!
i had a wonderful wonderful time in amherst on wednesday with carmella, friend from home charlotte, sam (!!), and rachel... and a highlight included tromping from carmella's through the woods in the dark to puffer's, where rachel and i proceeded to skinny dip, but then had no towels... so getting back into our clothes without filling them with dirt clung to wet skin was challenging. we succeeded! well, half. rachel walked home with no pants. :)
destry bean -- i know what you mean about how the fight over health care is revealing the hideous state of our democracy, and really, how shitty republicans are! it's sad, because one of the things i loved most about obama taking office was just how committed he was/is to ending bipartisan bullshit in this country, but now i just feel like republicans are bullshit. please someone... enlighten me?
on a lighter note, milo arrives on tuesday! i am really happy about this. i've been telling him all about seeing the chapman brood, and he says hi to everyone. :) and speaking of milo, he has JUST made himself a myspace page, as he has been making songs... he most recently made a baltimore house style song, and thinks its something dave nada might play at a party. woot! unfortunately my lame-o boyfriend won't let me listen to it until he's here, so he told me about his page, and then said i can't play the song! so stupid! however, you can all listen if you so desire. ha! it's: http://www.myspace.com/milodee. his other two songs he made this spring/early summer are there too. enjoy!
love you all,
megan / house job fairy (it was really ME all the long!)
I missed my day in the excitement of beach weather and a series of unexpected babysitting gigs. Oh well. Going tomorrow to New York to visit Monty -- he is housesitting a swanky TriBeCa apartment. (Selena, are you still in the city? Want to hang out?) Will be hanging around NY until Tuesday morning and am hoping to be in Amherst by Tuesday afternoon for Danielle's party (Rachel, you know what I'm talking about). Carms, Cait, Rachel, Jess, Julian, Selena, others to whom it might concern: Anyone flitting about Amherst on Tuesday afternoon, evening? Would love to see you!
Also, more importantly, maybe oddly: I have become engrossed in the health care debate that is currently raging our political system. Wasn't following it much earlier this summer, what with French internet-lessness and all, but now I am absorbed. Reading whatever I can about it. I'm not interested in the issue so much as in the process. (Don't get the wrong idea: I AM interested in the issue: the pre-existing condition policy, the $1 million cap, the pay-for-service service -- it's all messed up, obviously. We do need universal healthcare in this country, which my mom has said huffily every time she has slammed down the telephone after fighting with our insurance company.) BUT I think this debate is mostly fascinating as a demonstration of how messy and dysfunctional our democratic system is. If American health care is f-ed up, so much so is our political practice. Why is it acceptable for the Republican Party to hire bigoted, blue-collar workers in rural corners to yell at senators that they are trampling on the Constitution? Why do we allow legislators to sabotage a piece of legislation that is so obviously necessary to the American middle class? Why is filibustering even permitted when it is, in fact, unconstitutional? I am not cynical or pessimistic; I do think we will see a new healthcare bill in the upcoming months, and it might posit an improvement. But if we can barely fix a broken medical system, how are we going to fix the broken democratic system that is our government and its consecrated structure of checks and balances? I am feeling discouraged, to say the least. Perhaps my Obama-election high has worn off after all -- but I think it's a little different than that. It's one thing to struggle against an administration or regime (the one of recent years past, for example); it's another to despair of a democracy in its entirety. Hm, this is quite a downer of a rant. What do you all think?
Also, more importantly, maybe oddly: I have become engrossed in the health care debate that is currently raging our political system. Wasn't following it much earlier this summer, what with French internet-lessness and all, but now I am absorbed. Reading whatever I can about it. I'm not interested in the issue so much as in the process. (Don't get the wrong idea: I AM interested in the issue: the pre-existing condition policy, the $1 million cap, the pay-for-service service -- it's all messed up, obviously. We do need universal healthcare in this country, which my mom has said huffily every time she has slammed down the telephone after fighting with our insurance company.) BUT I think this debate is mostly fascinating as a demonstration of how messy and dysfunctional our democratic system is. If American health care is f-ed up, so much so is our political practice. Why is it acceptable for the Republican Party to hire bigoted, blue-collar workers in rural corners to yell at senators that they are trampling on the Constitution? Why do we allow legislators to sabotage a piece of legislation that is so obviously necessary to the American middle class? Why is filibustering even permitted when it is, in fact, unconstitutional? I am not cynical or pessimistic; I do think we will see a new healthcare bill in the upcoming months, and it might posit an improvement. But if we can barely fix a broken medical system, how are we going to fix the broken democratic system that is our government and its consecrated structure of checks and balances? I am feeling discouraged, to say the least. Perhaps my Obama-election high has worn off after all -- but I think it's a little different than that. It's one thing to struggle against an administration or regime (the one of recent years past, for example); it's another to despair of a democracy in its entirety. Hm, this is quite a downer of a rant. What do you all think?
augustoberfest
Came home from Meg's to play host to a gaggle of boys, Chris' friends from home, who were road-tripping through Boston. Took them to Deep Ellum, our favorite overpriced bar that references some neighborhood in Texas and sells swanky-ass beer that makes us feel rich when we're drinking it. Also went beer-tasting at the Harpoon Brewery with some kids - it has been a pretty beer week, no complaints. Also, have been frequenting super yuppie cafes with names like L'Aroma Cafe, Crema Cafe. Listening in on conversations is the best. There are youthfully bespackled 20-somethings complaining to their dates about how they only sell stuff you don't need at the Fall Sales, like, who wants to buy a swimsuit, summer is, like, practically over! There's a pair of paradoxically dread-haired yet tweedy-bowtied collegiates talking about the meaninglessness of symbology and middle class ad-consciousness. There is that middle-aged couple talking about their prize terrier, Oscar (isn't he cute), and I keep looking under the table for the dog, but all I see is this shag-carpeted ottoman from Target that maybe is breathing and maybe one end of it has a tongue and the other end has an asshole. Needs a haircut.
Saw two more movies:
Born into Brothels
Goodbye, Lenin!
And Julian, just finished White Teeth, what an ourobor(ical? ic? os-y) plot explosion.
We have an unusually classy dinner planned tonight: salmon, red wine, perhaps a rice pilaf, and Meg's purple potatoes made into french fries! (guess which part of dinner I planned??)
.....Keepin' it real.
Saw two more movies:
Born into Brothels
Goodbye, Lenin!
And Julian, just finished White Teeth, what an ourobor(ical? ic? os-y) plot explosion.
We have an unusually classy dinner planned tonight: salmon, red wine, perhaps a rice pilaf, and Meg's purple potatoes made into french fries! (guess which part of dinner I planned??)
.....Keepin' it real.
Friday 14 August 2009
tired of ticos?
Ah friends, I miss you all! I wish I could have gone to Megan´s to see all of you lovely ladies...eat lots of veggies for me (I´ve gone from the fresh corn and beets routine that Carms and I were kickin at the beginning of summer to chicken empanadas pizza...what I wouldn´t do for a head of lettuce...)
Well, never thought I´d say it, but it has been a long 3 weeks. This past week especially-- I´ve been with José in the university, kind of bumming around outside, walking around, attempting to read, and putzing around on the stretches of wireless I can find on the campus...it´s ok, but the truth is its boring having nothing to do, no matter who you´re with. But the previous couple weeks were amazing-- suprisingly, in the time my family came to Santa Cruz not one disaster suceeded. Just little bloopers here and there (the three Spanish words my father managed to master at the end of the week were gracias, hola, and pinguino, which he decided to start calling everyone he met). The 5 of us went to the beach for a week, which was amazing.
I´m still debating every day about where to study in spring semster...part of me thinks coming to Costa Rica to study is not right, the other side says yes...I´ll just ride it out and see where I end up in October when I´ve got to decided.
Love to all you munchies.
Well, never thought I´d say it, but it has been a long 3 weeks. This past week especially-- I´ve been with José in the university, kind of bumming around outside, walking around, attempting to read, and putzing around on the stretches of wireless I can find on the campus...it´s ok, but the truth is its boring having nothing to do, no matter who you´re with. But the previous couple weeks were amazing-- suprisingly, in the time my family came to Santa Cruz not one disaster suceeded. Just little bloopers here and there (the three Spanish words my father managed to master at the end of the week were gracias, hola, and pinguino, which he decided to start calling everyone he met). The 5 of us went to the beach for a week, which was amazing.
I´m still debating every day about where to study in spring semster...part of me thinks coming to Costa Rica to study is not right, the other side says yes...I´ll just ride it out and see where I end up in October when I´ve got to decided.
Love to all you munchies.
Tuesday 11 August 2009
the farm
Hi friends,
I got back to New York from the farm on Sunday and as soon as Jenny and I left, it felt far more like a dream. I still vividly remember walking into Megan's bright kitchen, smelling roasting eggplant and Megan's amazing garlic-y hummus. And then all of the sudden being swarmed by a flurry of arms, voices, faces of Carmella, Destry, Rachel, Megan, and Rose. I've earmarked those ten minutes as one of my top five moments of all time. We spent all day lounging around and then cooked dinner for hours. We made a beet salad, tomato and basil salad, and shish kebabs using branches of rosemary, herbs and veggies from the farm, and lamb from a farm down the road. After dinner, we ate a delicious blackberry pie with blackberries picked from around Hampshire and Jenny and Rosie made the fantastic crust (no coffee grounds included) and whipped cream. After being stuffed out of our minds, we finally had Rachel's huge bed party and snuggled in sleeping bags. On Sunday, we made French toast and Megan filled our bags with goodies from the farm including bouquets of flowers and incredible veggies which Jenny and I cooked yesterday! What more could you want from a weekend?
Anybody have other thoughts, fav. moments? Picture post coming soon.
I got back to New York from the farm on Sunday and as soon as Jenny and I left, it felt far more like a dream. I still vividly remember walking into Megan's bright kitchen, smelling roasting eggplant and Megan's amazing garlic-y hummus. And then all of the sudden being swarmed by a flurry of arms, voices, faces of Carmella, Destry, Rachel, Megan, and Rose. I've earmarked those ten minutes as one of my top five moments of all time. We spent all day lounging around and then cooked dinner for hours. We made a beet salad, tomato and basil salad, and shish kebabs using branches of rosemary, herbs and veggies from the farm, and lamb from a farm down the road. After dinner, we ate a delicious blackberry pie with blackberries picked from around Hampshire and Jenny and Rosie made the fantastic crust (no coffee grounds included) and whipped cream. After being stuffed out of our minds, we finally had Rachel's huge bed party and snuggled in sleeping bags. On Sunday, we made French toast and Megan filled our bags with goodies from the farm including bouquets of flowers and incredible veggies which Jenny and I cooked yesterday! What more could you want from a weekend?
Anybody have other thoughts, fav. moments? Picture post coming soon.
Sunday 9 August 2009
So sad that I couldn't make it to Megan's this weekend! But oh well, life (somehow) goes on. The main reason I couldn't go, anyway, was because I was recovering from this:
Which blew my mind. So life is pretty good anyway.
Also, for those of you who like really, really pretty things, check this out (and watch toward the end, even though it's kinda long):
Which blew my mind. So life is pretty good anyway.
Also, for those of you who like really, really pretty things, check this out (and watch toward the end, even though it's kinda long):
Friday 7 August 2009
Home is where the something is
Hi friends,
I made it back to South Portland, MAINE (!) on Tuesday night, after a horrible day of travel. When did it become socially acceptable to treat people terribly in airports and planes? Nearly every person I interacted with was curt or behaved like it was an enormous inconvenience to speak to me. And I'm polite: I smile, say thank you, even when the security guards are rifling through my underwear. Maybe people assume that they can walk over me because I'm young, female, or flying coach, or maybe there is simply a culture of rudeness surrounding air travel. Needless to say, I just about lost it when I finally met my mom in Boston.
However, things could only get better from there! It is good to be home, although I wish I had something to do other than watch YouTube videos and eat Oreos and string cheese. (Honestly, thank god string cheese came back into my life. I haven't had that stuff since I was in the fourth grade but, for some unexplicable reason, there is now heaps of it in our fridge.) It would be nice to have a reason to get dressed in the morning, for example, as opposed to sitting around in my pajamas, like I did today. But Wednesday I got to recover from jet lag after "naturally" waking up at 6 am -- didn't feel natural to me -- and yesterday I baked myself at the beach and am sufficiently sunburned today to recall our trip to Florida. Thought of Hannah's skeptical looks when I promised her that it would turn into a tan soon enough. I'm not sure it ever did, so Hannah you might have been right all along.
Anyway, I'm half-heartedly hunting for a part-time job to tie me over until the real-life job starts. Unfortunately, I don't know how to put together a resume for a waitressing job, despite previous waitressing experience. And I don't think there's a section for food and beverage service on the Career Center's website. I might end up chasing after bratty kids that "summer" in Maine (summer should not be a verb) or escaping to Nova Scotia with Monty instead. After mindlessly cleaning out years' worth of crap in my bedroom today, I am already feeling the need to abscond. (Although the cleaning process is somewhat interesting, as it reveals layers of past Destry Sibley identities that seem to have disappeared. Where is the Destry, for example, that once lined her window sill with toy VW bugs? Or owned a velvety black back pack? Does she still exist? Obviously I hope not.)
LUCKILY, I get to fly off to Connecticut this weekend with many of you wonderful people, which I am very excited about!!!!! Yes!
looooove,
Destry
I made it back to South Portland, MAINE (!) on Tuesday night, after a horrible day of travel. When did it become socially acceptable to treat people terribly in airports and planes? Nearly every person I interacted with was curt or behaved like it was an enormous inconvenience to speak to me. And I'm polite: I smile, say thank you, even when the security guards are rifling through my underwear. Maybe people assume that they can walk over me because I'm young, female, or flying coach, or maybe there is simply a culture of rudeness surrounding air travel. Needless to say, I just about lost it when I finally met my mom in Boston.
However, things could only get better from there! It is good to be home, although I wish I had something to do other than watch YouTube videos and eat Oreos and string cheese. (Honestly, thank god string cheese came back into my life. I haven't had that stuff since I was in the fourth grade but, for some unexplicable reason, there is now heaps of it in our fridge.) It would be nice to have a reason to get dressed in the morning, for example, as opposed to sitting around in my pajamas, like I did today. But Wednesday I got to recover from jet lag after "naturally" waking up at 6 am -- didn't feel natural to me -- and yesterday I baked myself at the beach and am sufficiently sunburned today to recall our trip to Florida. Thought of Hannah's skeptical looks when I promised her that it would turn into a tan soon enough. I'm not sure it ever did, so Hannah you might have been right all along.
Anyway, I'm half-heartedly hunting for a part-time job to tie me over until the real-life job starts. Unfortunately, I don't know how to put together a resume for a waitressing job, despite previous waitressing experience. And I don't think there's a section for food and beverage service on the Career Center's website. I might end up chasing after bratty kids that "summer" in Maine (summer should not be a verb) or escaping to Nova Scotia with Monty instead. After mindlessly cleaning out years' worth of crap in my bedroom today, I am already feeling the need to abscond. (Although the cleaning process is somewhat interesting, as it reveals layers of past Destry Sibley identities that seem to have disappeared. Where is the Destry, for example, that once lined her window sill with toy VW bugs? Or owned a velvety black back pack? Does she still exist? Obviously I hope not.)
LUCKILY, I get to fly off to Connecticut this weekend with many of you wonderful people, which I am very excited about!!!!! Yes!
looooove,
Destry
Just got off the phone with Rachel and decided to post a day early since tomorrow I will not have time due to BED PARTY with some of you lovely folk! Hoping all is well, with not much to report. Work is mellow, I am reading a new book called White Teeth by Zadie Smith which is pretty interesting. Other than that, have been making friends with two cats (who belong to my office-mate...I'm feeding them while she's on vacation). Have been discovering homemade boba drinks and asian bakeries. Watched a French movie starring Juliette Binoche called Blue yesterday...visually fabulous.
See you tomorrow
or
Think about you tomorrow!
See you tomorrow
or
Think about you tomorrow!
Thursday 6 August 2009
CHAPMAN REUNITES !!!
like previous two posts, i am SO EXCITED TO SEE EVERYONE (nearly) this weekend!
yay!!!
and, i saw two of chaps favorite community women today! jen good-schiff and gretchen krull ! we do choose wonderful women.. jen lent me a car-load of sleeping bags and pads so that we can make a GIANT BED in megan's ice house (you know how i adore a good bed party..). and i just spent the past three hours chatting with gretchen as we kayaked slowly around leverett pond (we did a couple laps..). LOVE HER.
she loves us too. in fact, i bet she'd fight gewertz (and win! seriously, she's buff) for our affection. haha.
ok, enough ridiculous ranting for now.
rach
yay!!!
and, i saw two of chaps favorite community women today! jen good-schiff and gretchen krull ! we do choose wonderful women.. jen lent me a car-load of sleeping bags and pads so that we can make a GIANT BED in megan's ice house (you know how i adore a good bed party..). and i just spent the past three hours chatting with gretchen as we kayaked slowly around leverett pond (we did a couple laps..). LOVE HER.
she loves us too. in fact, i bet she'd fight gewertz (and win! seriously, she's buff) for our affection. haha.
ok, enough ridiculous ranting for now.
rach
New York, New York, New York
Hi friends,
I've been in New York the past week or so and have been having a lot of fun. Steve T., Mike S., Jenny and I have been living in Adam's upper east side apartment and have been giggling (mainly Jenny), going out, seeing old friends, and watching a lot of tv. Since I'm not moving to New York anymore (and therefore don't need to look for an apartment or job), I don't really know what to do with myself in this never ending and expensive city. Anybody got any ideas? I've been scoping out free music, galleries, and the like, but mainly, I can't wait to see so many of you at Megan's farm this weekend!
I've been in New York the past week or so and have been having a lot of fun. Steve T., Mike S., Jenny and I have been living in Adam's upper east side apartment and have been giggling (mainly Jenny), going out, seeing old friends, and watching a lot of tv. Since I'm not moving to New York anymore (and therefore don't need to look for an apartment or job), I don't really know what to do with myself in this never ending and expensive city. Anybody got any ideas? I've been scoping out free music, galleries, and the like, but mainly, I can't wait to see so many of you at Megan's farm this weekend!
Tuesday 4 August 2009
putting the lonesome on the shelf
woops! almost forgot that today was tuesday and tuesday is my day. it's been that kind of a day. spent much of it mucking out goats' poop in the hot sun (with some pretty adorable children). otherwise, i am hella (yes hella) excited about the upcoming farm reunion this weekend. everyone east of the mississippi better be there, or else ! destry maria sibley and rebecca (?!?) ramer - that means YOU. gosh i am a terrible friend for forgetting becky's middle name... dammit. anyway, i'm loving on this tune at the moment, have a listen -
p.s. way to go with the pictures bex ! ! heheh ;)
ALSO GET OUTSIDE ASAP AND CHECK OUT THIS GORGEOUS MOON TONIGHT. HOT DAMN.
p.s. way to go with the pictures bex ! ! heheh ;)
ALSO GET OUTSIDE ASAP AND CHECK OUT THIS GORGEOUS MOON TONIGHT. HOT DAMN.
Monday 3 August 2009
this boat is REAL
Hello all,
Yes, it was a busy weekend for 'hersters in Boston this weekend. Rachel and I were indeed on a boat with Chris and a bunch of Rach's friends, having some brewskies and generally being super fly...until we were boarded by the Coast Guard and searched for narcotics. We came up fine, and they got back in their armored boat (with an M-16!) and left. What else? Selena has already described the house party, and the next day Rachel, Chris and I all walked around Cambridge for a while. We caught Selena later and took her to Deep Ellum which is a bar named after some area of Texas.
Now, I'm at work (sad), but hoping to catch a ride with Rachel to a happy farm reunion next weekend.
I have recently been swearing off (too much) sugar, and therefore avoid sugary cereals and crap in the mornings EXCEPT FOR MY MOCHA, which I make myself with a half gallon Monin chocolate syrup (cafe quality!) that I ordered off the net. So every morning I make my coffee super strong in an upside-down italian this thing.
Then I froth some milk and add a pump of chocolate sauce and go crazy. But today, I didn't feel like coffee so I could still use a pump of chocolate sauce without breaking my sugar quota, which brings me to....
EXCITING BREAKFAST YOGURT
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt (keeping it healthy)
1 handful crispix healthy-for-you cereal
1 handful flaxseed flakes fiber tasteless cardboard cereal
1 pump chocolate sauce
.....if you have no sugar quota, may I suggest also adding chocolate chips, berries, granola, a crushed up brownie, a small birthday cake, and bacon grease.
love to all!
Yes, it was a busy weekend for 'hersters in Boston this weekend. Rachel and I were indeed on a boat with Chris and a bunch of Rach's friends, having some brewskies and generally being super fly...until we were boarded by the Coast Guard and searched for narcotics. We came up fine, and they got back in their armored boat (with an M-16!) and left. What else? Selena has already described the house party, and the next day Rachel, Chris and I all walked around Cambridge for a while. We caught Selena later and took her to Deep Ellum which is a bar named after some area of Texas.
Now, I'm at work (sad), but hoping to catch a ride with Rachel to a happy farm reunion next weekend.
I have recently been swearing off (too much) sugar, and therefore avoid sugary cereals and crap in the mornings EXCEPT FOR MY MOCHA, which I make myself with a half gallon Monin chocolate syrup (cafe quality!) that I ordered off the net. So every morning I make my coffee super strong in an upside-down italian this thing.
Then I froth some milk and add a pump of chocolate sauce and go crazy. But today, I didn't feel like coffee so I could still use a pump of chocolate sauce without breaking my sugar quota, which brings me to....
EXCITING BREAKFAST YOGURT
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt (keeping it healthy)
1 handful crispix healthy-for-you cereal
1 handful flaxseed flakes fiber tasteless cardboard cereal
1 pump chocolate sauce
.....if you have no sugar quota, may I suggest also adding chocolate chips, berries, granola, a crushed up brownie, a small birthday cake, and bacon grease.
love to all!
Sunday 2 August 2009
Early or Late Post, however you see it!
I've been in Boston for the last few days having a wonderful time. On Friday, Rosie, Rachel, Emily, Anna Mullen, and I went to a Venezuelan restaurant for dinner and had a great little reunion. We had drinks in Emily's apartment in Back Bay afterwards. Yesterday, Rosie and Rachel went to New Bedford and hopefully one of them will post about hanging out on a yacht all day. I went to visit some old housemates all day before returning to Emily's apartment where she threw a housewarming party! I'll post pictures of my trip soon. The house party was fun -- Amherst party in Boston, pretty much. Although Rach claims that it was more grown up... but I dunno if I buy that. I have more random lunch and dinner dates tonight and head for New York tomorrow! I'll be there for two weeks before going to Amherst on the 16th. Oh! And a ton of us are going to Megan's farm next weekend (the 8th - 10th)!!! So if you're around any of those places, call me! And if you're not, WHY NOT?
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