My Addiction and Other Stories

I have a very expensive habit. I know I don't need it, I know I can be just as happy in my life without it, that I can get the same feeling from cheaper alternatives, but I can't help it. I'm hopelessly addicted to Odwalla drinks. I love their C and Strawberry C monsters, their Blueberry B monsters, their Mo' Betas. I could buy a gallon of orange juice at Wawa for the same cost as one precious bottle of Odwalla, but there's something about the Odwalla that I can't stop. Maybe it's getting 1000% of my Vitamin C in a single sitting, and in less liquid than regular juice, or maybe it's having a healthy energy rush from my Blueberry B on those days when I'm feeling sluggish. Maybe it's knowing that the Mo' Beta will cure my cold far faster than your average chicken noodle soup (though I love chicken noodle soup, don't get me wrong-- if I ever get sick bring me hot chicken noodle soup and I will love you forever, especially if it's homemade or Wawa). But I can't stop the Odwalla. I tried to today; I said, no I will get vitamin water with these chips that I am buying at the Marketplace, but the Odwalla cooler called to me...

Currently I'm at the Reves Center, where I work for my stipend. Right now it's a touch slow because I'm waiting for people to respond to the e-mails that I sent them. I'm in charge of setting up Global Jobs, World Savvy, writing articles for our website, and sending out the weekly newsletter to our listserv. I'm also supposed to coordinate with Phi Beta Delta, the international honor society, to help them run International Music and Dance Event in November, so I'm waiting to hear back about Kimball dates for that. I think this job is going to make me lots of connections and give me real life "skillz," at it were. Or maybe just skills. At least I will be able to safely say I've worked in an office job that actually required that I do something besides make copies (though I may have to do that, too).

As to the first impressions of graduate school, I think it will be difficult, yet I am already imagining that day when I type the last word of my thesis, save it to both the desktop and a USB disc and e-mail to myself (I refuse to lose my thesis), and then triumphantly shut my computer, take a long hot shower, then head to the Leafe for a pint. Or head to somewhere for a pint, if I don't get it done by the end of August. What I'm trying to say is, it's going to be hard, stressful, there will be tears and mini-breakdowns, but ultimately I think it will be fulfilling. I'm a little behind in reading because I couldn't keep my mind away from contemplating thesis topics yesterday afternoon, instead of doing my actual reading for my classes, but I can pretty easily catch up I think-- and the good news is, I did come up with a thesis topic.

My topic involves the Whigs and the American and French revolutions, definitely Charles James Fox, perhaps others, and I couldn't be happier. I was trying to go in a different direction earlier, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that I love the 18th century. I love the Tudors, too, but I don't want to do anything with Tudor politics (it's all be done), and the 18th century seems less tapped into in many ways. The Whigs are like my friends-- they make me laugh, they make me cry (literally) and when I read about them I am never bored. From their crazy gambling antics to their political protests they led interesting lives and I feel as if I am a part of it when I read primary sources or good secondary sources (Leslie, Amanda Foreman). I e-mailed one of my professors about the topic and am going to get coffee with him soon to discuss it's viability, but this is like the Kermit the Frog paper-- if anyone tries to discourage me I am ready to prove them wrong. I may need to shapeshift the topic a bit, narrow it or broaden it, but I will study my Whigs.

For tonight though, I'm going to Richmond to relax with Mike, gumbo, and a movie, before seriously considering Spain's Golden Fleece or the 'problems of transnational history'.