Brief Panic

I got back to the Lodge after grabbing lunch today, stuck my card in the door and a little red light started blinking. I tried turning the handle and nothing. I stuck my card in again and again and again hoping for a change, but nothing.

I looked around and luckily nobody else was around. The parking lot that had been so full last night was empty except for my car and one truck that was at the opposite end. I eventually walked around to the front of the hotel to where the office is and told the woman that my card had stopped working.

"Has it been near anything metal?"

Well, yeah. I mean, it was in my car, it sits on my refrigerator in my room, it was in the same pocket as my house keys, and I had also walked past a large metal fence in order to get down to the office. I also told her that it had been near my credit cards and that that may have been the problem. She asked what room I was in and I told her. She typed the information into the computer and said that my card had actually expired today and that I had apparently added a few more days to my stay...which isn't quite right...I'm supposed to be here until June 4 and I have my check-in sheet to prove it. But I didn't want to argue so I just said 'Oh' and allowed her to recharge my key card.

I walked briskly back up to my room and the green light came on and I heard a metallic click from within the door. I burst in and immediately felt the cold blast of the AC which was amazing after having to deal with the humidity that is plaguing Virginia recently.

So I guess it's been handled now. I just hope it doesn't happen again.

Memorial Day Weekend

Traffic is bad through West Point right now. People are hauling their trailers, boats, campers, ATVs, and anything else that can be pulled behind a vehicle down 33 to destinations on the Rappahannock and at the Bay. Williamsburg is also crowded as I saw first hand when I tried to take my cousin and sister out to New Town last night. We found a parking spot only because someone pulled out of one when we were driving around, but left shortly after we saw a large group of pre-teens energetically walk into the movie theater. We left to go to Chipotle where I dropped off my cousin and sister and walked over to the neighboring restaurant and talked to Korie, who I haven't seen in a long time now. She and I talked for a few minutes, but she was working, so we made plans to get together after I get back next weekend. After we left we got back onto Richmond Road and braved the traffic until we got back to my grandma's house.

It's not like I hate all of the traffic. At least the people here, even the tourists, know how to drive...a SHARP contrast to Charlottesville were I kind of fear for my car and my life every time I drive somewhere.

We're having a cookout tomorrow afternoon. We're doing it on Sunday so I can get back to school and work on my last assignment for my summer classes. It feels like it just started and now it's already over. 6 credit hours completed in three weeks. And the fact that we had Fridays off made it so much more bearable.

So in the meantime I'm just sitting in my dad's shop, listening to some music, arranging my iTunes and making new collections of songs that are not available in the United States. I'll probably go home soon though and watch some TV while laying on the floor.

I always fall asleep on the sofa.

Fortune Cookie

I mentioned earlier that I found a fortune that I actually liked the last time I got Chinese food. After going home and picking it up before I came back to Charlottesville, I can now say what it was....

"Mutual assistance in despair will make the ugly situation more fair."

Say what you might about my taste in fortunes or sayings in general, but I rather like this one. That's probably because it reminds me of a certain situation I am still dealing..sorry, HELPING with.

As the ultimate sign of creepiness, I went into the FL in KW as I was leaving the county and left the fortune cookie paper at his register, on purpose of course.

I doubt he saw it, and even if he didn't it still gave me this sense of...I don't know how to describe it. It's like one of those feelings that I may have helped somebody even though they don't know that it was me who was trying to help.

And I'm fine with that...just as long as my actions aren't attributed to a certain being who I'm most definitely not on good terms with right now..

Moving

Moving sucks. There's the packing and the cleaning and the running out of time...but at the same time, I love it. I love being able to regress to how things looked before I invaded a space with all of my personal belongings. It makes me feel like something about me has changed.

I've lived in two places in Charlottesville since coming to UVa: The Tower and The House of Leaves-- code names for their actual locations. I can now add a third: The Econo Lodge on 29. I have my own personal space, no bugs, and cable television that actually works.

Now I can come home and actually relax...if only I didn't have work to do for my summer classes.

Forgetfulness

Once again, it's been a while since I've posted on here.

It's raining pretty hard outside right now. Luckily I'm with my mom and dad and they have keys to the shop so I don't have to sit out in my car this time.

On a more random note, I got a fortune cookie yesterday with lunch and for once in a very long time I actually liked what it said. I cannot, however, remember what it was at this moment. It is currently sitting on my dresser at home along with some of the other stuff I plan on taking back to Charlottesville with me tonight.

Only one more day in the House of Leaves. I'm excited.

Monday Night

Spending time with friends watching "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" and drinking a bit in my room. I'm going to miss these people when we split up living arrangements next year. But at the same time I'm glad I'm living with a smaller group of people. There are positives and negatives to both and either way I'll probably end up complaining.

Sometimes shit don't change.

Mistake? Doesn't seem to be..

Sometimes I think I should avoid talking to certain people, especially certain people I used to have crushes on. I was worried that the following story would turn out to end badly for me, but it seems to have been pretty good...

I stopped into Food Lion on my way out of King William with two intentions in mind: 1) pick up some bread and wine, and 2) make sure he's doing ok.

He was getting off on break when I stepped into the store. He made eye contact with me and gave me a kind of shocked look. I just nodded my head to say 'hey' and then kept walking towards where I thought the bread was. Turns out it had moved and I wandered around aimlessly for a bit until I eventually found it. I picked up a loaf and then moved to the wine section where a good majority of the brands and bottles have been discontinued at the store. I still managed to find my favorite bottle and made my way to the register.

As I stood in line waiting for the woman in front of me to get her credit card to work I noticed him walk out to his car, look around for a second, get in, and then almost immediately get back out and start walking back up to the store. When I made it outside he was sitting by the door on an overturned shopping cart waiting for me.

He said he figured I would be back in Charlottesville already because I have classes in the morning. I explained how my parents had made me wait around to spend more time with them and how I was just able to break myself away a little after 7:15. We talked for a bit about how things had been going for him, how he is managing himself with everything that's been difficult lately, and then the topic moved on to other things.

I actually enjoyed talking to him. He was not nearly as whiny and depressed as he usually is and I would like to think that it's because he actually saw me in person. We talked about random things for a while and then he said he wants to come up to Charlottesville and stay for a while after he gets out of school next month.

I think that would be a good change for him.

Restarting classes and preparations for Departure

It's been about a week since my final exam and I am already getting ready for classes to start tomorrow morning. I've read through each syllabus and don't have any work to do for tomorrow's classes. But everything feels strange.

Maybe it's because I am moving out of this house in a week. I think that's actually a major part of it. I kind of wish my classes started in June so I would have time to focus on getting this shit-shack cleaned and everything. But because classes start tomorrow I am going to have to be dividing my time between them and cleaning and I am most likely not going to be a happy camper. At all.

After May 24 I will be living in a hotel for two weeks. I'm kind of excited about that. I mean, it's not the best hotel in the area, but it's still better than having to bum a sofa off someone for two weeks. This way I get my own private room and it is going to be so much more clean than this place ever was or ever will be. I will finally have my sanctuary back. Ever since I left my tiny dorm room last year and moved into this....place....I have had to suffer through flies, piles of trash, disgusting smells, frequent parties, terrible cable connection, insane neighbors, insane roommates, roommates who smoke way too much weed, roommates who leave bamboo sticks throughout the yard, roommates who don't give a shit about school, and roommates who get on my nerves for just being themselves.

I may also feel strange because it's after the year has let out, but it has not yet been long enough for that fact to set in my mind. I feel like I'm going to get up tomorrow and go to Polish class and be able to say "Dzień dobry Pani Małgorzata" one last time. But those classes are done as is that semester.

Once again

I'm sitting in my car at the laundromat this time because the skinny bench is taken up. I am drenched in sweat.

The mayflies are also terrible now. Whenever I try to walk around in my yard they are constantly smacking me in the face and buzzing all around me.

I'm sure I look so great right now. I really have sweat dripping down my face. I'm unshowered (which is probably better since I'm going to have to take one anyway when I get home). And I just don't do well in the heat.

There's a guy sitting in his car next to me. He just got off the phone after having a lengthy conversation in Spanish. He is currently listening to Tick-Tock by that girl that I don't like.

Movie premiers and interesting Connections

Today I went to my Polish professor's house where she had prepared a huge spread of Polish foods for our class, friends, and former students. Everything was great and I'm glad that she did this again. It makes me feel so cultural and like I have been able to return a part of my family's history to life.

During the meal we watched the premier of "Jak się masz, kochanie?" -- the video we had made as a class. The editor has done an amazing job with what she was given and it turned out better than I had thought it would be. Occasionally the voices are a little weak and it would have been nice if some people had spoken louder, but overall it was so much fun to watch. Luckily I didn't come off as creepy as I thought I would...or maybe I just don't see my creepy actions as being creepy, which could be bad. The editor also put in a blooper reel of "wpadki" at the end. That, I believe, is the best part of the film. They really show how much fun we had while making it and how much we (I'm in almost every single one) messed up during the production.

So after we had watched the film and finished eating I walked over towards the kitchen where I started talking with one of the students from class, as well as with the intermediate level Polish teacher. I started talking about where I was going to be teaching next fall and when I said Western Albemarle, the professor was like 'Hey, my daughter goes there." I asked what grade she was going to be in next year and he said tenth. I then asked if she planned on taking AP European history and he said yes....So, it looks like I am going to be teaching his daughter next year.

I guess the pressure is really on me now.

Finals

Everybody's done.

Don't know what day it is today.

I like ends like this.

The end of an Era

I'm kind of surprised at how blandly this semester ended. There was no freaking out, no vomiting blood, no super stress...nothing really. Maybe it was because I was only taking 12 credit hours or maybe it's because I actually did the work.

I had to go to my Polish professor's office today during our exam block in order to turn in my brief essay on myself and complete the oral part of the exam. I walked in and recited the poem that had been burned into my memory throughout the semester and, in Polish, proceeded to recount the events of this morning when I was a little hungover, how I tried to remedy the situation, and what I planned to do now that I was done for the semester.

I apparently did very well and my teacher went on to tell me that I "made that class," and not just for her, but for the other students as well. I was the one who always came in there with stories, random comments during the lesson, and my offbeat sense of humor that seemed to work well with the hodgepodge of people in my class. I can't wait to see the video now. My professor said that I was great in it and that "the hand kissing was amazing." I love pretending to be the stereotypical French pervert.

It's sad to think that I am done with taking Polish class, but I guess we all encounter sad truths during our lives. As the grades now begin to roll in I've been assured that I can get nothing less than an A in Polish. Too bad my good grades will have to stand next to that atrocious looking W.

Bored.....

I'm parked at my dad's shop sitting in my car using the internet waiting for anybody to want to do anything in this small-ass river town.

Nothing so far.

Releases

After I posted my previous blog I got in my car and drove down I-64 singing at the top of my lungs. I traveled 36 miles round-trip and in that time I managed to sing enough songs out of my range that my throat ached by the time I pulled into my driveway.

We all need our releases...things that help us cope, get by, or celebrate. Singing in the car happens to be one of mine.

I just know next time that I should probably not sing "Poker Face" so loud that it makes my throat feel like it's going to explode.

Wrapping up the Semester

I just finished a shit-ton of work.

My seminar paper is done and submitted over a day and a half before it's due.

My lesson plans and school visit log are submitted on time.

I had already finished another project a week early and submitted that last Wednesday.

I also have taken all of the various research surveys I had to endure for the semester.

I only have one exam to go--Polish on Monday, May 10.

I can do this.

Talking it Out

I reverted to talking to that person that I shouldn't...the person I refer to as The Bane of My Existence. Ever since last June things between us have been complicated. No longer in the 'relationship' aspect of complicated now but in more of a 'we don't know how to act around one another' kind of way. I've essentially become the person he talks to when I can force it out of him--the banality of the words we exchange masking the greater importance of what I'm trying to do. Help.

Issues with one's self are never easy to resolve, especially at times of other changes in one's life. These personal issues, however, become more difficult when one's family history, beliefs, or other situations challenge what should be the socially accepted rights of life.

So I'm just listening. Listening and offering random advice.

The heat is Back

Once again it's in the mid to upper 80s here. I guess it's acceptable since it's May now, but it is just so hot upstairs in my house. Right now I'm drenched in sweat and will probably end up taking another shower before I go to bed. I keep telling myself I only have three weeks left and then I'm out of this place.

I know for a fact that my apartment is air conditioned next year. I'm excited.