Well, I have survived the first week. Not that that's surprising; the first week is always pretty easy. But, I have done it! The real challenge will be the second week.
Let's see, where to start? Wednesday I had my theory seminar, and while it seems incredibly interesting and I can't wait to get into it, it's intimidating, too, because I do less theory than I do history. Also, the subject we're studying is relatively unwritten about, so things feel very malleable, which is both exciting and terrifying. I have some ideas for the class, but I'm not sure if I'm "right" (as right as you can get, in theory classes). So, we'll see. I'm definitely looking forward to delving in more next week.
Thursday I had my historiography seminar, and while it seems in a sense more difficult, I also feel more comfortable there. It's like I have a map for this course, so even if I'm not entirely sure what the area looks like, I have some guide. Of course, I'm not the best map-reader, so I'll probably get lost and frustrated a lot, but that's to be expected. Still, we're covering some ground that I've been through before-- micro-histories, cultural history-- and reading some books that I'm really familiar with (two that I've used in a previous historiography class and one that I used for my thesis). That said, there's a LOT of new material that I'm going to have to master, including an entirely new 'theatre' historiography that I've never seen before, not to mention the whole historiography of a chosen period. It's going to be difficult. I can already tell. But, I feel a bit more like I know my way around. For theory, I'm wandering mapless into new terrain.
Teaching was pretty good, too. Not a lot of info for them in the first week, just introductions and such, and I'm pretty sure they all think I'm eccentric (maybe I am!). Still, I think it will be a good quarter. I can't wait to try to impart to them how incredibly exciting and provocative I find the theatre and its history. Yeah... maybe I am eccentric. I prefer 'passionate.'
In other news, I got a new camera, but not a DSLR. :( They quit making my old Canon Rebel style, so I got a huge gift certificate to Best Buy in the amount of the original camera. I decided that since I had this 'free money' (though not really) I would buy a cheaper camera and use the certificate for a nice TV stand. So yay! I finally will be able to move the TV off the box it came in! And I'll finally have new non-iPhone pictures for you all!
I also got to get falafel last night with my neighbors (so fun!) and Thai food today with Kris. Food and friends make me happy. Did I mention that on Monday night I had some amazing homemade beef bourguignon with sharp cheddar and apples with my friend Sarah? And we started watching Game of Thrones. So good! I really love everyone here in Seattle; the people in my program are so supportive and wonderful, my neighbors are incredibly nice.
Well, off for some dinner and a lot of reading! Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Into the woods to take another journey
Remember when I thought it was the last first day of classes? Turns out, I have another 2 and a half years of class to go. I got my B.A, and immediately started my M.A. I got that in May, and it felt like I was finished, and now I'm starting a PhD. And tomorrow it all starts up again.
Part of me is excited; part of me is dreading it; a huge part of me is glad I'm doing theatre history; a small part of me wonders why I didn't apply to some kind of straight-up history PhD program. A pretty substantial part of me wonders if maybe I shouldn't have just gotten a nine-to-five job somewhere, instead of signing myself up for more academia. But, for better or worse, here I am! Hopefully I'll live up to everyone's expectations. I sort of have first day jitters, just because I feel so incredibly unused to the subject matter and the manner of study. But, it's just history right? With a more specific focus and some theory thrown in? I've done grad school. I should be fine. I'm also a little nervous about teaching, although not as badly as I thought I might be; it will be what it will be.
Anyone seen Into the Woods? It's a Sondheim musical, a compilation of many fairytales, and each story leads the characters, well, into the woods. The first act neatly ties up the loose ends, and the second act begins with everyone happy until a new situation compels them back into the woods. The lyrics pretty sum up how I feel. They go in part:
"Into the woods,
It's always when
You think at last you're through, and then
Into the woods you go again
To take another journey"
"Into the woods,
The path is straight,
No reason then, to hesitate.
Into the woods,
It's not so late,
It's just another journey."
And I should always remember there's no reason to be afraid, because "The woods are just trees, the trees are just wood." And sometimes there are good moments in the woods. People become braver and more confident and even sometimes their dreams come true. But whether good or bad, no matter what, the woods are a learning experience.
So, tomorrow it's into the woods to get the thing that makes it worth the journeying.
Part of me is excited; part of me is dreading it; a huge part of me is glad I'm doing theatre history; a small part of me wonders why I didn't apply to some kind of straight-up history PhD program. A pretty substantial part of me wonders if maybe I shouldn't have just gotten a nine-to-five job somewhere, instead of signing myself up for more academia. But, for better or worse, here I am! Hopefully I'll live up to everyone's expectations. I sort of have first day jitters, just because I feel so incredibly unused to the subject matter and the manner of study. But, it's just history right? With a more specific focus and some theory thrown in? I've done grad school. I should be fine. I'm also a little nervous about teaching, although not as badly as I thought I might be; it will be what it will be.
Anyone seen Into the Woods? It's a Sondheim musical, a compilation of many fairytales, and each story leads the characters, well, into the woods. The first act neatly ties up the loose ends, and the second act begins with everyone happy until a new situation compels them back into the woods. The lyrics pretty sum up how I feel. They go in part:
"Into the woods,
It's always when
You think at last you're through, and then
Into the woods you go again
To take another journey"
"Into the woods,
The path is straight,
No reason then, to hesitate.
Into the woods,
It's not so late,
It's just another journey."
And I should always remember there's no reason to be afraid, because "The woods are just trees, the trees are just wood." And sometimes there are good moments in the woods. People become braver and more confident and even sometimes their dreams come true. But whether good or bad, no matter what, the woods are a learning experience.
So, tomorrow it's into the woods to get the thing that makes it worth the journeying.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Apple and Ginger
My weekend was characterized by the flavors of apple and ginger.
An appropriately autumn taste, I think, for a very autumn-like weekend. Saturday morning I went for a jog, and the weather was perfectly beautiful and cool. If I closed my eyes it was like being on Duke of Gloucester Street in the fall, with orange and red leaves swirling at my feet. Saturday afternoon I was reading The Great Cat Massacre, and a large part of it focuses on how peasants typically spent their lives dreaming of having enough food in a world of scarcity. It dawned on me that my meagre lunch of a cup of penne pasta with pesto wasn't enough calories to count as a meal, really, so I headed to the kitchen and pulled out a pint of some locally made Honey and Cinnamon custard that I bought the other day. This Honey and Cinnamon custard is of the gods, I tell you. Anyway, I was standing in my kitchen eating it, when my eyes alighted on my Shakespeare's Kitchen Cookbook. I opened it to a recipe-- Chicken with Wine, Apples, and Dried Fruit. The recipe seemed simple enough, so I went and bought the apples, dried plums, currants, and dates it called for, put them in a pot with the chicken and spices-- notably ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg-- and soon enough I had a meal of chicken with soft apples and a lovely ginger taste.
Sunday morning I went out to brunch with two of my downstairs neighbors, Katy and Dan. They are amazing people. We had such a good time! We went to brunch at a place called Roxy's. I ordered the special of the week: a short stack of Oktoberfest pancakes. Now, though one might think so, these WERE NOT pumpkin pancakes. They were ginger pancakes with an apple compote and whipped cream on top. And they were absolutely delightful. Paired with some strong but sweet coffee, it was heaven. Plus, of course, a great conversation about politics (who would have ever thought I would like a conversation about politics?) and British television.
That evening, I met a girl from my program, Liz, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood to visit one of her favorite pubs for happy hour. The place is called Smith. We had such a great time talking about the upcoming school year, the projects we are working on academically, and a myriad of other topics. Plus, we had food and drink. To eat, we shared an order of corn fritters with sweet pepper aioli sauce, and I tell you I will be dreaming about those for a really long time. Then we each got a plate of upscale mac and cheese. Amazing. To drink I got a cocktail called Picasso's Horse: apple brandy, DuBonett, lemon, orange bitters, topped with ginger beer. Such a lovely wonderful cocktail, perfect for a cool, sunny Sunday afternoon.
In fact, the only day without apples and ginger was Friday, when I had a craving for falafel. A quick google search yielded the result of "Mr. Gyro's" in Ballard, so I drove over an amazing falafel platter. Yum! I also, in said google search, came across a microbrewry I want to try called Naked City Brewery and Taphouse that has a silent movies/Golden Age of Hollywood theme. Food-wise, Seattle seems like a pretty cool place.
An appropriately autumn taste, I think, for a very autumn-like weekend. Saturday morning I went for a jog, and the weather was perfectly beautiful and cool. If I closed my eyes it was like being on Duke of Gloucester Street in the fall, with orange and red leaves swirling at my feet. Saturday afternoon I was reading The Great Cat Massacre, and a large part of it focuses on how peasants typically spent their lives dreaming of having enough food in a world of scarcity. It dawned on me that my meagre lunch of a cup of penne pasta with pesto wasn't enough calories to count as a meal, really, so I headed to the kitchen and pulled out a pint of some locally made Honey and Cinnamon custard that I bought the other day. This Honey and Cinnamon custard is of the gods, I tell you. Anyway, I was standing in my kitchen eating it, when my eyes alighted on my Shakespeare's Kitchen Cookbook. I opened it to a recipe-- Chicken with Wine, Apples, and Dried Fruit. The recipe seemed simple enough, so I went and bought the apples, dried plums, currants, and dates it called for, put them in a pot with the chicken and spices-- notably ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg-- and soon enough I had a meal of chicken with soft apples and a lovely ginger taste.
Sunday morning I went out to brunch with two of my downstairs neighbors, Katy and Dan. They are amazing people. We had such a good time! We went to brunch at a place called Roxy's. I ordered the special of the week: a short stack of Oktoberfest pancakes. Now, though one might think so, these WERE NOT pumpkin pancakes. They were ginger pancakes with an apple compote and whipped cream on top. And they were absolutely delightful. Paired with some strong but sweet coffee, it was heaven. Plus, of course, a great conversation about politics (who would have ever thought I would like a conversation about politics?) and British television.
That evening, I met a girl from my program, Liz, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood to visit one of her favorite pubs for happy hour. The place is called Smith. We had such a great time talking about the upcoming school year, the projects we are working on academically, and a myriad of other topics. Plus, we had food and drink. To eat, we shared an order of corn fritters with sweet pepper aioli sauce, and I tell you I will be dreaming about those for a really long time. Then we each got a plate of upscale mac and cheese. Amazing. To drink I got a cocktail called Picasso's Horse: apple brandy, DuBonett, lemon, orange bitters, topped with ginger beer. Such a lovely wonderful cocktail, perfect for a cool, sunny Sunday afternoon.
In fact, the only day without apples and ginger was Friday, when I had a craving for falafel. A quick google search yielded the result of "Mr. Gyro's" in Ballard, so I drove over an amazing falafel platter. Yum! I also, in said google search, came across a microbrewry I want to try called Naked City Brewery and Taphouse that has a silent movies/Golden Age of Hollywood theme. Food-wise, Seattle seems like a pretty cool place.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Gettin' Oriented
I'm done with Orientation! Hooray! I can sleep in tomorrow and make French toast in the morning! I can spend the evening reading and/or-- more likely-- watching The X-Files, which I have recently found on Netflix instant streaming (sidenote: this is a problem for productivity!).
So orientation: it started on Monday afternoon, with a School of Drama orientation. All of the grad students, new and old, PhD and MFA, and the faculty and staff, gathered at the Penthouse theatre to meet one another. The Penthouse is theatre in the round, the first arena theatre built in the United States, so we basically went in a circle introducing ourselves. After the theatre meeting we had a picnic to meet the advisory board. Oh, and also the Union came in to talk to us about our rights as student employees. Yes, I'm in a Union now. I feel like Waiting for Lefty or something. I need a newsboy cap and a Bronx accent. Clearly, my mental image of Unions is somewhat archaic.
The next two days were CIDR orientations; CIDR is our TA resource, and each year they have a school-wide conference to teach new TAs the ropes. We had two big sessions with panelists to answer questions, then I went to two small sessions: one was how to set up my class website, the other was how to use activities to engage students in class. They were about like how you'd expect. I got some good information, but they weren't the most exciting things in the entire world. And I had to get up early for them.
Today was the drama orientation! I learned about the tech stuff available to me through the School of Drama, about the drama library, and about fiscal services (yay taxes...). Then I took a tour through the different performing spaces (we have so many spread around campus!). Then Kris, Lezlie, and I went for some coffee to discuss the Textual Studies program and the wisdom of taking Vitamin D supplements in this cloudy environment, followed by the TA meeting with the lecturer of Drama 101. I'm really excited to TA. I also get to give a lecture to the full group of 192 students! On Shakespeare!
Finally, we had a meeting with the head of our PhD program, who explained a bit more about the teaching and the courses. And now I'm done! On Tuesday I have one more thing to meet the rest of the PhD faculty, but a whole free weekend! I plan to read more Brockett (History of Theatre) and some stuff for fun... by which I mean a book that examines history using an anthropological approach. It's called The Great Cat Massacre by Robert Darnton. It's so good. I've read part of it before, but I want to read it again and in full. It has it's methodological... issues... but still. What book doesn't have it's methodological issues? Amazing book. Incredibly readable and fun.
...I'm such a history nerd.
So orientation: it started on Monday afternoon, with a School of Drama orientation. All of the grad students, new and old, PhD and MFA, and the faculty and staff, gathered at the Penthouse theatre to meet one another. The Penthouse is theatre in the round, the first arena theatre built in the United States, so we basically went in a circle introducing ourselves. After the theatre meeting we had a picnic to meet the advisory board. Oh, and also the Union came in to talk to us about our rights as student employees. Yes, I'm in a Union now. I feel like Waiting for Lefty or something. I need a newsboy cap and a Bronx accent. Clearly, my mental image of Unions is somewhat archaic.
The next two days were CIDR orientations; CIDR is our TA resource, and each year they have a school-wide conference to teach new TAs the ropes. We had two big sessions with panelists to answer questions, then I went to two small sessions: one was how to set up my class website, the other was how to use activities to engage students in class. They were about like how you'd expect. I got some good information, but they weren't the most exciting things in the entire world. And I had to get up early for them.
Today was the drama orientation! I learned about the tech stuff available to me through the School of Drama, about the drama library, and about fiscal services (yay taxes...). Then I took a tour through the different performing spaces (we have so many spread around campus!). Then Kris, Lezlie, and I went for some coffee to discuss the Textual Studies program and the wisdom of taking Vitamin D supplements in this cloudy environment, followed by the TA meeting with the lecturer of Drama 101. I'm really excited to TA. I also get to give a lecture to the full group of 192 students! On Shakespeare!
Finally, we had a meeting with the head of our PhD program, who explained a bit more about the teaching and the courses. And now I'm done! On Tuesday I have one more thing to meet the rest of the PhD faculty, but a whole free weekend! I plan to read more Brockett (History of Theatre) and some stuff for fun... by which I mean a book that examines history using an anthropological approach. It's called The Great Cat Massacre by Robert Darnton. It's so good. I've read part of it before, but I want to read it again and in full. It has it's methodological... issues... but still. What book doesn't have it's methodological issues? Amazing book. Incredibly readable and fun.
...I'm such a history nerd.
Monday, September 19, 2011
The Project Unveiling
So, I've been talking to you all for awhile about a project that I've been working on, and how it involves paint. It's still a work in progress-- I have two panels and a top still to go, but-- a cabinet! I wanted a pretty table for my entry hall, because it's a considerably large space for an apartment, but the only things I could find were either ugly or $300+. So, I decided to make my own! Earlier, I had bought a nice wooden cabinet to act as my pantry for only $69.99, so I went back for a second cabinet for my entry table. But I didn't just want a plain wooden cabinet for my entry hall (though it looks lovely for a cabinet; it's a very pretty wood), so I decided to paint it!
I've mentioned my love of Sticks painted furniture before; using their gorgeous furniture as inspiration, I began my own cabinet sprucing! Here are the finished cabinet doors:
But how did I make it? The picture progress below explains it all!
(Plain cabinet doors)
(A little measuring and some pencil lines create a pattern to follow!)
(The background took awhile to create, as it involved mixing green, blue, white and brown paint to make it look 'just so.' Luckily, working in acrylics makes mixing paints a fairly easy feat.)
(Can you see where I've drawn the image in pencil over the background colors?)
(Beginning to paint the image!)
(Painting the image also requires mixing paints, to give the look some depth)
(All painted! Now I just have to outline everything using my acrylic paint pens!)
(Ta-da! The final product!)
I've mentioned my love of Sticks painted furniture before; using their gorgeous furniture as inspiration, I began my own cabinet sprucing! Here are the finished cabinet doors:
But how did I make it? The picture progress below explains it all!
(Plain cabinet doors)
(A little measuring and some pencil lines create a pattern to follow!)
(The background took awhile to create, as it involved mixing green, blue, white and brown paint to make it look 'just so.' Luckily, working in acrylics makes mixing paints a fairly easy feat.)
(Can you see where I've drawn the image in pencil over the background colors?)
(Beginning to paint the image!)
(Painting the image also requires mixing paints, to give the look some depth)
(All painted! Now I just have to outline everything using my acrylic paint pens!)(Ta-da! The final product!)Once I've completed the side panels, I'll show those to you, and soon I'll have a completely personalized, one-of-a-kind, completely hand-drawn and hand-painted entry table!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
An Award!
First of all, I want to thank Laura Elizabeth for giving me a blog award! Laura Elizabeth is fantastic. We are new blog friends (well, I suppose 'new' meaning five months or so, at this point) and I absolutely love her. We are the same person, except on different continents. Plus she does veterinary things, and I'm hopeless with medical stuff/science. But otherwise. Check her out at everything else and everything in between!
With this award, I'm supposed to thank the award giver and link back to them, tell you seven things about me, give the award to three more wonderful bloggers, and then tell them the exciting news!
I would like to give this award to
my lovely friend Kay who blogs at The Van Gogh Cafe.
my dear friend Mike, who (hilariously) blogs about law school at Walking into a Buzzsaw.
and to Abby with her wonderful blog, transition is my middle name.
Seven things about me:
1) I watch The Travel Channel far more than I should. But I love it. I also love to travel. These things could correlate. In fact, they probably do. Though why do I suddenly find myself liking "Man Versus Food"...?
2) I am a huge fan of Disney World. I've been more times than is probably good for me, but trust me, I will keep going back. Now that I'm on the West Coast, I can't wait to check out Disneyland. Especially their "Nightmare Before Christmas" Halloween themed Haunted Mansion and their Mardi Gras festival.
3) I love bread. Mmmm bread. Especially when hot. Best part of any meal.
4) I'm super into 'paranormal' stuff. I love all of those TV shows (except Ghost Adventures) that deal with haunted hotels and vampires and stuff like that. I love taking ghost tours when I visit old towns, like New Orleans or, hey! Williamsburg!
5) I love to read, which is a good thing, since I'm going for my PhD in theater history.
6) I love tea. A whole lot. I love teacups and teapots and tea-chests. Kay and I are discussing going for 'tea-classes and tastings' at a little teahouse in Seattle when she comes to visit.
7) I also love wineries and going for wine-tastings. Especially when they serve bread at the tastings. Mmm bread and wine. Close to godliness. And cheese!
Next post: my project unveiled!!!!
With this award, I'm supposed to thank the award giver and link back to them, tell you seven things about me, give the award to three more wonderful bloggers, and then tell them the exciting news!
I would like to give this award to
my lovely friend Kay who blogs at The Van Gogh Cafe.
my dear friend Mike, who (hilariously) blogs about law school at Walking into a Buzzsaw.
and to Abby with her wonderful blog, transition is my middle name.
Seven things about me:
1) I watch The Travel Channel far more than I should. But I love it. I also love to travel. These things could correlate. In fact, they probably do. Though why do I suddenly find myself liking "Man Versus Food"...?
2) I am a huge fan of Disney World. I've been more times than is probably good for me, but trust me, I will keep going back. Now that I'm on the West Coast, I can't wait to check out Disneyland. Especially their "Nightmare Before Christmas" Halloween themed Haunted Mansion and their Mardi Gras festival.
3) I love bread. Mmmm bread. Especially when hot. Best part of any meal.
4) I'm super into 'paranormal' stuff. I love all of those TV shows (except Ghost Adventures) that deal with haunted hotels and vampires and stuff like that. I love taking ghost tours when I visit old towns, like New Orleans or, hey! Williamsburg!
5) I love to read, which is a good thing, since I'm going for my PhD in theater history.
6) I love tea. A whole lot. I love teacups and teapots and tea-chests. Kay and I are discussing going for 'tea-classes and tastings' at a little teahouse in Seattle when she comes to visit.
7) I also love wineries and going for wine-tastings. Especially when they serve bread at the tastings. Mmm bread and wine. Close to godliness. And cheese!
Next post: my project unveiled!!!!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Hitting the Books
The other day I realized that I don't know anything about theater history. Well, ok, I do know some, especially about English Renaissance (thank you independent study) and 18th-century English and Colonial American (thank you thesis), but that's. about. it. Brecht? I've heard of him. Anything else in the 19th or 20th centuries? Nope. The 21st? Ha. I guess I've seen Angels in America and read a little Tom Stoppard. So anyway, the other day I went to get margaritas with Kris and Liz, two girls in my program, and they told me more about my TA position and the plays we'd be reading/teaching. One of them is Hamlet so thank God for that, I just spent a summer as an assistant dramaturg on Hamlet. But otherwise I felt lost.
So two nights later, I went over to Kris's for wine, cheese, sci-fi discussions, puppy-meeting, and books. And now I'm reading them. I've read two of the plays that I'll be teaching and the first three and a half chapters of Brockett's The History of Theatre. I'm hoping to get as much read as I can before classes start. Breathing. Breathing. Feeling a bit more prepared.
So two nights later, I went over to Kris's for wine, cheese, sci-fi discussions, puppy-meeting, and books. And now I'm reading them. I've read two of the plays that I'll be teaching and the first three and a half chapters of Brockett's The History of Theatre. I'm hoping to get as much read as I can before classes start. Breathing. Breathing. Feeling a bit more prepared.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
A Seattle Update
My camera broke. My very nice camera that I use to take most of my very nice pictures broke. Luckily, I bought the special 4-year warranty for it, so all I had to do was take it to Best Buy and have them send it out, but right now I'm camera-less. In fact, I've been camera-less since my first day in Seattle, so any new picture that you've seen has come from my iPhone, which is not really my preferred method of picture taking. Possibly this camera issue has been the cause of not having a "let-me-tell-you-all-about-Seattle" blog post. But the time has come to at least tell you a little, even if I am lacking in illustrations.
My apartment has come together quite nicely. All that I'm lacking is a desk (set to be delivered in a few weeks) and a TV stand. The TV stand is a story: we bought a nice entertainment center from IKEA, but when we opened the boxes to put it together it was missing 9 pieces of hardware and 2 pieces of the furniture bits themselves. IKEA then refused to come pick it up for free, until after much talking to the managers they realized that it was their own mistake not ours and came to get it. I still think they did it a bit grudgingly, but whatever. So now the TV is sitting on the box it came in waiting for a better TV stand to magically appear. Or for me to go furniture shopping (AGAIN) or for me to find the perfect listing on Craigslist. We shall see.
The apartment has taken up nearly all of my time. I arrived with just my Mickey Mouse dishes, silverware, some clothes, and some books, so I've needed to get a lot: furniture, cleaning supplies, cooking supplies, trashcans... the list goes on. Everyday I find myself thinking of things to get, like, "Oh, a lamp for the bedroom would be nice!" or "Huh, I don't have a microwave, but I have frozen food!" I wanted to go for a run when I realized, "Hey, I left my only pair of running shoes in Virginia! And they are old and covered in globs of dried mud!" So... the little things.
So far I like the city. Today has been the first cloudy day that I've had since I got here. I love where I live-- I'm close to tons of restaurants and shops, plus a few yoga places that I want to check out and maybe even a dance studio. I could do pointe in an adult class!!! I could make my life-long dream come true! I've found an amazing pizza place called Flying Squirrel Pizza Co. that I would seriously eat at every night if I had the money, and a great little bar with a happy hour quite close by, and a few good ice cream/fro-yo places. I ate at a local place called Dick's Drive-In Hamburgers and it was incredibly cheap and tasty ($1.85 for a hamburger!).
I have found a good grocery store within walking distance and it carries my favorite kind of yogurt: Wallaby Organics Key Lime yogurt. SO GOOD. I have found a nice, big, clean Trader Joe's not too far away. I have visited the post office. I drove by the dock area and saw a cruise ship in port, and the waterfront looks amazing. I want to go explore it soon. I got my Zoo Member Annual Pass so I can go to the zoo whenever I want, and maybe next time I'll even do the Giraffe Feeding event. Or just sit and watch the penguins for awhile.
I still need to go to the Space Needle and do most of the touristy things, though.
Additionally, I've gotten to meet up with four of the girls in my program. It's been really reassuring to talk to them about the program requirements and expectations. One of them even sent me her class hand-outs and a copy of last quarter's syllabus so that I kind of know how the class I'm teaching will roll. Also, good to know what plays I'm expected to read beforehand. Especially since I'm coming from a history, not a theater, background. Orientation starts next week and I'm actually kind of excited. It'll be nice to finally be getting into things.
And, of course, I'm working on my project. A hint: it involves paint.
My apartment has come together quite nicely. All that I'm lacking is a desk (set to be delivered in a few weeks) and a TV stand. The TV stand is a story: we bought a nice entertainment center from IKEA, but when we opened the boxes to put it together it was missing 9 pieces of hardware and 2 pieces of the furniture bits themselves. IKEA then refused to come pick it up for free, until after much talking to the managers they realized that it was their own mistake not ours and came to get it. I still think they did it a bit grudgingly, but whatever. So now the TV is sitting on the box it came in waiting for a better TV stand to magically appear. Or for me to go furniture shopping (AGAIN) or for me to find the perfect listing on Craigslist. We shall see.
The apartment has taken up nearly all of my time. I arrived with just my Mickey Mouse dishes, silverware, some clothes, and some books, so I've needed to get a lot: furniture, cleaning supplies, cooking supplies, trashcans... the list goes on. Everyday I find myself thinking of things to get, like, "Oh, a lamp for the bedroom would be nice!" or "Huh, I don't have a microwave, but I have frozen food!" I wanted to go for a run when I realized, "Hey, I left my only pair of running shoes in Virginia! And they are old and covered in globs of dried mud!" So... the little things.
So far I like the city. Today has been the first cloudy day that I've had since I got here. I love where I live-- I'm close to tons of restaurants and shops, plus a few yoga places that I want to check out and maybe even a dance studio. I could do pointe in an adult class!!! I could make my life-long dream come true! I've found an amazing pizza place called Flying Squirrel Pizza Co. that I would seriously eat at every night if I had the money, and a great little bar with a happy hour quite close by, and a few good ice cream/fro-yo places. I ate at a local place called Dick's Drive-In Hamburgers and it was incredibly cheap and tasty ($1.85 for a hamburger!).
I have found a good grocery store within walking distance and it carries my favorite kind of yogurt: Wallaby Organics Key Lime yogurt. SO GOOD. I have found a nice, big, clean Trader Joe's not too far away. I have visited the post office. I drove by the dock area and saw a cruise ship in port, and the waterfront looks amazing. I want to go explore it soon. I got my Zoo Member Annual Pass so I can go to the zoo whenever I want, and maybe next time I'll even do the Giraffe Feeding event. Or just sit and watch the penguins for awhile.
I still need to go to the Space Needle and do most of the touristy things, though.
Additionally, I've gotten to meet up with four of the girls in my program. It's been really reassuring to talk to them about the program requirements and expectations. One of them even sent me her class hand-outs and a copy of last quarter's syllabus so that I kind of know how the class I'm teaching will roll. Also, good to know what plays I'm expected to read beforehand. Especially since I'm coming from a history, not a theater, background. Orientation starts next week and I'm actually kind of excited. It'll be nice to finally be getting into things.
And, of course, I'm working on my project. A hint: it involves paint.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Have a Cupcake
Yesterday I was feeling a bit homesick. My mom flew back to the East Coast on Friday, so now I'm on my own until classes start; I bought a "Felicity Mystery" from the American Girl series on a whim, but since those take place in Williamsburg it made me really miss home; Zan booked his flight to visit in October (yay!!!) but it made me wish he were already here that much more. All of these things combined to make a bummed out Abigail.
So to cheer myself up, I went to Paper Source and got myself some little but practical gifts!
Who can be bummed out with a panda-shaped pencil sharpener and a yearly planner advising you to eat a cupcake? That's solid life-advice right there. I feel that both of these things will be useful to keeping me happy on a daily basis throughout this quarter. :)
Plus, with the pencil sharpener and some nicely sharpened pencils I was able to start a super-cool project that I can't wait to share with you all (if it turns out well)!!!
So to cheer myself up, I went to Paper Source and got myself some little but practical gifts!
Who can be bummed out with a panda-shaped pencil sharpener and a yearly planner advising you to eat a cupcake? That's solid life-advice right there. I feel that both of these things will be useful to keeping me happy on a daily basis throughout this quarter. :)Plus, with the pencil sharpener and some nicely sharpened pencils I was able to start a super-cool project that I can't wait to share with you all (if it turns out well)!!!
Friday, September 9, 2011
once upon a time
Hey everyone! First of all: today, I'm guest posting for Abby over at transition is my middle name! She just got engaged, so the post has a bit of a wedding theme. This is my first ever guest post and I'm super excited! Check it out!
Secondly, my friend Emily directed me to Pinterest the other day, which I discovered could be a huge time suck, possibly worse than Facebook, so I'm trying to limit myself. I don't have an account (yet), and I only spend a little time looking at all the pretty things on the mainpage. Which, by the way, goes on into infinity if you're not careful. But I did find this gorgeous picture that I wanted to share with you all. I was trying to think of the perfect post to use it for, but then I realized, it's a perfect compliment to my guest post and to Abby's engagement!
Doesn't it just make you want to jump into your own real life fairytale?
Secondly, my friend Emily directed me to Pinterest the other day, which I discovered could be a huge time suck, possibly worse than Facebook, so I'm trying to limit myself. I don't have an account (yet), and I only spend a little time looking at all the pretty things on the mainpage. Which, by the way, goes on into infinity if you're not careful. But I did find this gorgeous picture that I wanted to share with you all. I was trying to think of the perfect post to use it for, but then I realized, it's a perfect compliment to my guest post and to Abby's engagement!
Doesn't it just make you want to jump into your own real life fairytale?
Monday, September 5, 2011
Speaking of television...
Oh my goodness, I watched the first episode of Sherlock last night on Netflix instant streaming and it was AMAZING. I had heard about it in June, shortly after I moved to Staunton, when my friend Katie told me that she and her boyfriend had just finished watching it and that it was amazing and that I should watch it. I thought, "Mmm hot British guys solving crimes creatively? Yes, please!" (I hope at this point you all know what an Anglophile [Scotsphile and Welshphile] I am-- I swear one day I WILL live in the UK). So anyway, I was all pumped for the show, then sort of forgot about it.
Then a few weeks ago (a month at this point?) my bloggie friend Laura Elizabeth mentioned watching Sherlock and I thought, "Oh yes, I need to do that." But then the road trip happened and setting up the apartment, but FINALLY last night I sat down and watched the first episode.
And it was so. incredibly. good. I didn't realize it was written by Steven Moffat, which was just a huge plus right there in the beginning. And so well-written, although I figured out the murderer in the first episode before Sherlock did. I did not figure out the 'how', though, until Sherlock went in and figured it out himself. Anyway, I just can't recommend this show highly enough. Super fun and fast-paced and creative.
I've also told Zan that he needs Sherlock suits. Mmm sexy :). Although, I think I might also have mentioned to him that a bow-tie and a Stetson à la Number 11 would be sexy, too. Or really, anything à la 10. David Tennant's Doctor dresses very well.
(Photo from here)
Then a few weeks ago (a month at this point?) my bloggie friend Laura Elizabeth mentioned watching Sherlock and I thought, "Oh yes, I need to do that." But then the road trip happened and setting up the apartment, but FINALLY last night I sat down and watched the first episode.
And it was so. incredibly. good. I didn't realize it was written by Steven Moffat, which was just a huge plus right there in the beginning. And so well-written, although I figured out the murderer in the first episode before Sherlock did. I did not figure out the 'how', though, until Sherlock went in and figured it out himself. Anyway, I just can't recommend this show highly enough. Super fun and fast-paced and creative.
I've also told Zan that he needs Sherlock suits. Mmm sexy :). Although, I think I might also have mentioned to him that a bow-tie and a Stetson à la Number 11 would be sexy, too. Or really, anything à la 10. David Tennant's Doctor dresses very well.
(Photo from here)
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Speaking of movies...
I saw Tangled last night via Netflix instant streaming. It was super cute, much better than I had anticipated. It had a little of that campy, cheesy feel that I got off of the trailers, but overall a solid film. And it didn't even have too many of those misunderstanding moments that always make me queasy. Everything worked out just fine in the end, like it was supposed to, without much drama in the middle and the villain was easily dispatched. Perfect. Just what I needed last night. I would totally watch this film again. And again.
Someday, though, I want to see a Disney movie where when someone says they are going to die, they stay dead. A horrible, sad ending that makes you question the universe and your place in it. Like a French film. Maybe once they start up a Disney studio in France...
(Images, obviously, belong to Disney not me.)
Someday, though, I want to see a Disney movie where when someone says they are going to die, they stay dead. A horrible, sad ending that makes you question the universe and your place in it. Like a French film. Maybe once they start up a Disney studio in France...
(Images, obviously, belong to Disney not me.)
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Seattle!!!
Table and chairs off of Craigslist? Check. Couch and armchair from IKEA? Check. Pots and pans, towels and bathmats, oven mitts and kitchen appliances from Bed Bath and Beyond? Check. First aid supplies and Kleenex from Target? Check. Wireless internet from Best Buy/Comcast? Check!!! (Hello! Now I can update more often and have shorter posts again!)
Things are slowly coming together here in Seattle. Driving up from Oregon was a bit more emotional than I had anticipated. We left behind a cloudless blue sky in Portland for total cloud cover in the state of Washington. I started crying. How had I tied myself to this for four years? But as we headed farther north the clouds burned off and the sun started to shine once again. We crested the hill and all of the Seattle skyline and waterfront spread out before us, sparkling in the light.
(First glimpse of Seattle!)
The first thing we did was to head over to my new apartment. My building manager, Phil, is probably the nicest human alive. He took us up to the apartment, showed us around, and I immediately fell in love with the place. The apartment is on the third floor, has two skylights and several big windows, and is light even on cloudy days. Then Phil invited us out to lunch with him, his wife, and his little girl at an Indian Bistro about an eight minute walk from the apartment. Lunch was both tasty and fun. Phil's whole family is wonderful!
After lunch, my mom and I headed downtown to the hotel we were staying for the first three nights (we had literally nothing worth sleeping on for the first couple of days-- not even a blanket). We stayed at a place called Inn at the Market, a cute boutique-y hotel. We got to our room and the first thing we saw was a bottle of red wine accompanied by three little cupcakes-- cinnamon, chocolate peanut butter, and red velvet-- with a note welcoming me to the city, and hoping that I enjoyed my PhD program and living in Seattle. Apparently while making the reservation, my mom had mentioned in passing that I was moving to Seattle for school, and the hotel took it on themselves to give me a warm welcome. I couldn't have been more pleased!
(Hotel cupcakes!)
From there, the last week has been a blur. I found an adorable table and chairs for $40 on Craigslist, and the guy selling them even delivered them and carried them up the stairs to my apartment. Awesome! My mom and I braved IKEA-- what a sensory overload!-- and found a cheap couch and armchair, a few cute end tables, and some bookshelves for the office. We even put the couch and chair together ourselves! The day after that we spent a fortune at Bed Bath and Beyond getting all kinds of kitchen necessities and bedroom necessities, like sheets and duvets and towels, and at some point we discovered that the nearest Target is two stories high and has a weird little "cart only" escalator. Someday I'll take a picture of this crazy contraption to show you all. We have scoured antique markets and vintage flea stores and Craigslist for other furniture items, such as desks and end tables, and a dresser, but finally ended up with some new but very reasonably priced furniture from a store just up the street called Dania. Not all of the furniture has been delivered yet, and it's not all set up, but we're getting there.
(Yay! Furniture in the apartment!)
We've also managed to have a little fun. We spent an afternoon at the Woodland Park Zoo, which I really loved (I'm now a zoo member with an annual pass!). We went over for late-night happy hour at a nearby bar and got their steak special for $6.99! We tried a terrible Mexican place, and an amazing Thai place, and last night had some of the best pizza ever from Flying Squirrel Pizza Co. Today we're going grocery shopping at Trader Joe's, so that'll probably be the end of eating out so much... except to try Pies and Pints, of course.
(Bear at the zoo!)
Plus, I had a great morning with one of the 4th year PhD students, Sarah! We met at the Whole Foods near my apartment, and walked all over Seattle-- through neighborhoods, to the University campus-- and she told me tons about the program and about the city. It was really, really wonderful. I hope we become much better friends.
So, now I'm living in the apartment, setting things up and putting things away, and somehow it became September. Maybe I should run out for a latte or a tea before trying to tackle too many things this sunny Saturday morning... :)
Things are slowly coming together here in Seattle. Driving up from Oregon was a bit more emotional than I had anticipated. We left behind a cloudless blue sky in Portland for total cloud cover in the state of Washington. I started crying. How had I tied myself to this for four years? But as we headed farther north the clouds burned off and the sun started to shine once again. We crested the hill and all of the Seattle skyline and waterfront spread out before us, sparkling in the light.
(First glimpse of Seattle!)
The first thing we did was to head over to my new apartment. My building manager, Phil, is probably the nicest human alive. He took us up to the apartment, showed us around, and I immediately fell in love with the place. The apartment is on the third floor, has two skylights and several big windows, and is light even on cloudy days. Then Phil invited us out to lunch with him, his wife, and his little girl at an Indian Bistro about an eight minute walk from the apartment. Lunch was both tasty and fun. Phil's whole family is wonderful!
After lunch, my mom and I headed downtown to the hotel we were staying for the first three nights (we had literally nothing worth sleeping on for the first couple of days-- not even a blanket). We stayed at a place called Inn at the Market, a cute boutique-y hotel. We got to our room and the first thing we saw was a bottle of red wine accompanied by three little cupcakes-- cinnamon, chocolate peanut butter, and red velvet-- with a note welcoming me to the city, and hoping that I enjoyed my PhD program and living in Seattle. Apparently while making the reservation, my mom had mentioned in passing that I was moving to Seattle for school, and the hotel took it on themselves to give me a warm welcome. I couldn't have been more pleased!
(Hotel cupcakes!)
From there, the last week has been a blur. I found an adorable table and chairs for $40 on Craigslist, and the guy selling them even delivered them and carried them up the stairs to my apartment. Awesome! My mom and I braved IKEA-- what a sensory overload!-- and found a cheap couch and armchair, a few cute end tables, and some bookshelves for the office. We even put the couch and chair together ourselves! The day after that we spent a fortune at Bed Bath and Beyond getting all kinds of kitchen necessities and bedroom necessities, like sheets and duvets and towels, and at some point we discovered that the nearest Target is two stories high and has a weird little "cart only" escalator. Someday I'll take a picture of this crazy contraption to show you all. We have scoured antique markets and vintage flea stores and Craigslist for other furniture items, such as desks and end tables, and a dresser, but finally ended up with some new but very reasonably priced furniture from a store just up the street called Dania. Not all of the furniture has been delivered yet, and it's not all set up, but we're getting there.
(Yay! Furniture in the apartment!)
We've also managed to have a little fun. We spent an afternoon at the Woodland Park Zoo, which I really loved (I'm now a zoo member with an annual pass!). We went over for late-night happy hour at a nearby bar and got their steak special for $6.99! We tried a terrible Mexican place, and an amazing Thai place, and last night had some of the best pizza ever from Flying Squirrel Pizza Co. Today we're going grocery shopping at Trader Joe's, so that'll probably be the end of eating out so much... except to try Pies and Pints, of course.
(Bear at the zoo!)
Plus, I had a great morning with one of the 4th year PhD students, Sarah! We met at the Whole Foods near my apartment, and walked all over Seattle-- through neighborhoods, to the University campus-- and she told me tons about the program and about the city. It was really, really wonderful. I hope we become much better friends.
So, now I'm living in the apartment, setting things up and putting things away, and somehow it became September. Maybe I should run out for a latte or a tea before trying to tackle too many things this sunny Saturday morning... :)
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