I am neither alive, nor vegan. Oh, wait...

I'm going to try to start this post without an apology for my neglection. Oh damn, too late.

I'm just trucking away here in Fresno. Classes are picking up, midterms are either around the corner or have already been completed. Which boggles me because some people just started school today [i.e. UC Davis]. At least I get out really early.

So, school, let's see what's going on. I have to do this simulated stock market game for my Economics class, and I have no idea in hell what stocks/funds I should invest in. If any of you have a knack for that kind of thing, please advise me.
Debates have been raging in my Diversity in America social science class. Mainly because Fresno is home to quite a number of close-minded conservative hicks who think that it is an egregious sin for two people who love each other to get married. I am just glad that I was raised in a diverse area by accepting people. Not to say that everyone in the Valley is a judgmental bigot. There are a lot of people - namely my friends - whose values are in the right area.
Moving on to another class, I'm learning fun labs to do with third graders to teach them the basics in biology. I had to do a mitosis dance yesterday. Scoff if you will, but I'm going to be teaching the children of tomorrow and I'd go through dumb class after dumb class in order to do that.
Both of the Honors classes are getting steadily more difficult. Lots o' reading. I like to read, I really do. I just find it difficult when I'm told to read something. As soon as that happens, no matter if I like the book or not, I find it excruciatingly hard to read.
For my Kinesiology PE for Children class, I got to go to a local school and observe a PE lesson. I went to the Kindergarten class taught by one of my friend’s mom. I’ve always thought I was going to teach somewhere between third and fifth grade, but now I don’t know. Those youngens are just so much fun. It’s really not worth worrying over, as the school I end up teaching at is just going to throw me wherever they need a teacher anyway.

What else is there? Oh, I’m coming home tomorrow for the weekend. It was kinda spur of the minute, but a few friends are coming with me. No, not the hot boys. Sorry to disappoint. Instead, I’m bringing Sara & Misty [& Lily – but that’s just a ride to Concord]. They’ve never seen Hayward, so that’ll be exciting. We’re going to an A’s game on Friday night with my entire family. Saturday, we’re looking to do a little shopping with Ms. G-Dawg. Followed, I’m sure, with dinner & pie. At some point, I’m also supposed to visit with family. I’ll fit it all in somehow.

Looking more into the future, I’ve decided to go to Australia this coming summer. It’s a four week [and some change] trip, with two weeks being a volunteer conservation project, and the second two weeks being an adventure tour all over Australia. There’s much rappelling and snorkeling scheduled. David, Todd, Jason & I are the people who are signed up to go. It’s a bunch of money, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. If any of you are interested, we’re using the company International Student Volunteers [ http://www.isvonline.com ].

Aside from all that, I’ve been watching too much TV [America’s Next Top Model – 3rd season just started up again!!] and hanging out with all the Fresno Folks. Sorry this post lacked humor and emotion, and was more just a fact after fact list. I’ll try harder next time.

‘Til then, KT

Santa Craaazzzzy!

So I'm back in Santa Cruz. Moved into my GORGEOUS, SPACIOUS on-campus apartment on Sunday. I have a nice ocean view out my window and lots of space in the living room for guests. So...come visit me!!!! That's an order!

Haven't really been doing much this week except for putting the apartment together and doing Orientation Leader things, such as assembling packets for the incoming freshman. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will be the busiest days because of last minute getting-ready stuff and because people will be moving in. My roommate Monique will be moving in tomorrow, as well as Scott. Fred, our 6th person in the apartment, will move in on Sunday. Can't wait to have a full apartment, it feels really empty with only 3 people right now (myself, Lois, and Maria).

Other than all the above, I've been enjoying having time to do things I usually don't have time to do. The campus is pretty sparsely populated right now, so I've been taking naps out on the knoll a lot, running the trails, and trying to go to places on campus I haven't explored yet. Just found out there's a hillside garden tucked in behind our college that students can actually go look around in. We can't pick fruit off the trees, but we can take things that have fallen on the ground. Got a lot of huge yummy apples.

Went to the Farmer's Market yesterday, which was fun because I was actually able to buy food to cook, as opposed to last year, when I could only buy things that could be eaten without cooking. So yesterday I picked up a pound of green beans for $1 and a bunch of about 20 carrots for $1 as well. I think I'll make some stir fry later in the week, maybe. There were lots of nice flowers for sale too, which I wanted to buy but felt kinda sheepish getting for myself. Plus, I don't really NEED flowers, they just were really pretty. =)

All in all a good week so far...it feels great to be back in Santa Cruz, and I love this mostly relaxing time, save for the OL work...but then again that's how I was able to move up early in the first place, so it all worked out.

Class starts next Thursday...I'm definitely going to try to enjoy the rest of this week to the fullest before I get bogged down with reading and translations. Hope everyone else is having a good one too!

Still more to come.

Just a quick note, mainly serving as a reminder to myself that I need to get my ass in gear and post. This will be edited later today and will be glorious.

But one thing: Gina, when you post, make sure you publish it. Reading week old posts just doesn't have the same excitement as brand new ones.

With the promise of more, KT

EDIT: Okay, as it turns out, there are far less hours in the day than I had thought there were. Yesterday was Jason's [Fresno Gay Jason] 21st birthday, so we went out to dinner and then hung out and had birthday festivities [including a penis pinata - try saying that three times]. I did not partake in some of the fun, as I had donated blood that day. It seems like such a punishment for doing a good deed. Anyhow it was fun. However, it took up more time than I thought it would. And now, I find that I have less than a half an hour before I have to board a bus to go to Smittcamp Camp [the annual Smittcamp Scholar Retreat at Huntington Lake].

Moral(s) of the story:
1. I will post upon my return. I'm hoping for some action on this retreat from the new boy that I have a riduculously enormous crush on. Perhaps I'll be able to post something scintilating for once.
2. I apologize to Gina for being so bitchy on the previous [part] of this post. Sorry.
3. Hope everyone has a SPLENDID weekend!

Love, KT

"I've been so damn tired..."

Wow what a long week...and it's not even over yet. Last weekend was super fun, with the O.A.R./Guster/Howie Day/Matt Nathanson concert at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, but when Monday came around, everything slowed to a crawl.

So yes, as people have mentioned, the concert was lots of fun. I have to admit that I think I had more fun just hanging out with Gina, Katie, David, and Kirk (and Jason for a while) than listening to the music, but hey, it's all good.

Matt Nathanson was quite entertaining, a really funny guy with lots of personality. I didn't realize how much I liked him until AFTER he left the stage. I don't know if I'll buy his CD (or burn Katie's copies...) but he was a good performer.

Howie Day BLEW...Well, to his credit he had a great voice and songs that I would definitely enjoy if I were in a more pensive mood, but after Matt Nathanson, I was pumped and giggly. Not a good transition. Plus, "Harvey Day" (I wonder if he was high?) kept mixing his songs with some foot-pedal operated contraption that made his voice echo and was able to record a part of his song and then play it back, but it was just really strange to see him standing there, not singing or playing the guitar, and to have the music still going. He walked off the stage while it was still going. STRANGE. It sounded like good breakup music, though...which hopefully I will never need to listen to...

Guster of course was great. It was satisfying to finally be able to sing along with some songs.

I actually like O.A.R. alot. Like Gina says in her LiveJournal, I wouldn't buy their album, but they were good live music. I liked the lead singer a lot...he had a good stage presence and was also very entertaining. But man, that saxophone player took the cake. WHEW what a hottie! There was just something about a sexy young lad jamming away on a phallic-shaped saxophone that turned me on. For some reason I can't remember his name! Anyway, he was hot.

Slept over at Katie's afterward, but not before calling a bunch of pizza places on the way home (it was almost midnight). We were all craving pizza after the concert, and David was convinced that we probably got high on secondhand pot smoke. He was probably right...we were all hungry and acting sort of silly. Then we ate the pizza at Gina's house and watched Insomniac Music Theater on VH1...good times.

On Sunday I had to leave Katie's early because my cousin Martin wanted me to babysit my nephew, Jonathan David (we call him "Joda"...quite appropriate considering Martin is a big Star Wars fan like myself....Joda, Yoda...get it?) . He's about 5 months old and the cutest freaking baby I have ever seen! I actually didn't do much babysitting because about 1/2 hour after I got there and played with him, he got cranky and fell asleep. I put him in his crib, but a little while after he started fussing, so I picked him up and rocked him a little in the rocking chair, and he fell asleep again. It was really nice: for about an hour I basically rocked in the chair with this adorable baby sleeping on my shoulder. However, when he woke up, he looked at me, looked around the room, and then started bawling and wouldn't stop because he was probably like "WHO THE HELL IS THIS STRANGER HOLDING ME???" Luckily, after a bottle and lots of me pleading with him to stop crying, he stopped.

I already knew before this that I didn't want to have kids, but I think that taking care of Joda reinforces it for me. Don't get me wrong, I love babies and I think they're adorable and it's really fulfilling to watch them grow up and learn things. However, I just don't think I want one of my own. I'm totally cool with babysitting everyone else's babies though. I'm be awesome Auntie Jo. Yes. I will spoil your children rotten because I'm not going to have any! Sounds like a plan to me.

Monday through today have been pretty blah and normal. Work sucked as usual, I'm just really sick of working at Macy's. My boss really doesn't want me to leave though. She came up to me a couple days ago and said "Guess what?! Santa Cruz just called and said school is out forever!". I think it's just easier for her to keep me around than to have to train someone else...especially because there's still a huge language barrier with the Afghani woman they hired to replace me. She's a hard worker and everything, but it's hard to tell her to do stuff without physically showing her. She speaks decent English, but if I say "can you go and fill in the Charter Club [or insert other brand name here] pillows, please?" she'll have no idea what I'm talking about. I have to go over to the pillows, point them out and then go show her where they are in the stockroom Quite frustrating, especially when we're pressed for time. I feel bad because she's a good worker once you tell her what to do, but I don't think it's going to work out. But on the other hand, I can't wait to get out of Macy's, good riddance! I've been working there winter and summer since 2000, I think it's time to go.

Besides working, helping coach cross country at Moreau is what takes up the rest of my days. XC is waaaay more fun and fulfilling than working though, I love it. I've been helping out with the Group 2 kids (There are groups 1-4, with workouts getting increasing longer or harder as you go up groups). Yesterday we did a 40 minute run, running down sides streets then cutting through Tennyson and then going over an overpass to get back to Mission Blvd. Pretty chill run. Today, however, I guess Coach Wilder and Coach Schroeder decided that it was high time for a bunch of kids in my group to step it up a bit. Today's workout was killer, but I'm so proud of all the kids. They all supported each other, didn't let anyone get lost, and were really optimistic and didn't complain. We ran from Moreau, up Harder towards Cal State Hayward, through the campus, down Campus Drive, to the back end of Hayward Plunge. Then we ran to the front of Hayward Plunge, did 6 minute hill repeats, and then headed back the way we came to get back to Moreau. Total time = 1 hour and 40 minutes. CRAZY. We all felt really good afterward though...mentally. I can't believe we ran that far. I know my ass will be sore tomorrow, though.

Wow, this is a really long post. I should probably start winding it up. So I leave Sept. 12 for UCSC, which I'm really excited about. I'm looking forward to my classes, moving into our awesome new apartment (everyone is going to come visit, right? Katie and David: 2nd Friday of November! hahaha), and finally seeing Scott again for the first time since the beginning of June.

Hope you are all having a good week, at work or at school or at whatever else you all might be doing. Thanks for a fantastic time last weekend!