Some more VT news

Word on the street is that the ICTAS building that is under construction and was during the time of the shootings will be named Librescu Hall. Those are the rumors going around right now but I really hope they're true. I know many students will be rallying behind this cause. Professor Librescu was an awe-inspiring and humble man. I can't think of anybody else more deserving of such an honor. I really hope he gets this.

Lovely cover of Elliott Smith's "Between the Bars"

I really love this song. Recently, I've been listening to a lot of Elliott Smith tribute CDs and I really liked Emily Haines singing this song. I use to lay on the drillfield after a night out staring at the stars and sing this song with friends. I should probably start doing that again as it was a great way to end the night. Anyway, hope you enjoy...

Reflecting

And you know as well as I do, one of these days he's gonna open up a bottle
of white wine for you when you really prefer red, except you never told him
that; and you wanna know why? It's because he's not right for you.
-JD

On going to New York in a few days...

- I can't wait to find myself a temporary gay boyfriend
- I am excited to see Kathryn & Danielle
- I'm even more excited that a couple of my friends are making their way up to celebrate with me
- I can finally get a horizontal license
- I can legally say "Yes" to downtown

New VT Memorial

On August 19th, the day before school starts, VT will officially unveil the new memorial construction project that has been going on all summer. It's a permanent place that stays true to the student made memorial site that was made the week April 16th. The original stones will be given to the families of the victims. I think this is a wonderful tribute to our friends that have passed. I also really like how they decided to keep it in the same location on the drillfield. Right in front of Buruss hall and kind of central to everything. From the architect's computer simulation of it, I think it looks really great. I can't wait to see it in person. I think I'll have my dad come to the dedication with me.

In the news...

-Michael Vick (VA Tech alum) pleads not guilty to dog fighting. Honestly, I have mixed feelings about the Vicks. They are AMAZING football players. There's no doubt about that. Seriously, they come near a football and your school is guaranteed to be on it's way to Nationals. Both brothers have done so much for Tech sports and we love them for that, but seriously, what is up with getting accused of everything in the book?! Michael is the highest paid quarterback in the league, why resort to other illegal activities? I just don't get it - he has everything! Anyway, I guess I'm just interested in how this will all work out. It's such a peculiar news topic. Dog fighting? I didn't know people still did that.

- In other sad and sport related news, Wake Forest's basketball coach Skip Prosser passed away today as a result of a heart attack. I was lucky enough to attend a couple of Wake basketball games in the past couple of years. The most memorable one was their home game against a Florida school (I can't remember which one, maybe FSU). I had 3rd row seats and the dream team was playing. Chris Paul, Eric Williams, Justin Grey etc. They were absolutely amazing and won the game which paved the way for their advancement in March Madness. From the few times I saw him in action, I could tell he was full of passion and really loved his team as well as his fans. Honestly, the Wake basketball games the last year that Paul played were the best I've ever seen. Everyone worked so well with one another and the games were insanely exciting. If there's one thing I would keep with me, it would be how I felt at a Deamon Deacon game in the presence of Skip Prosser. It just won't be the same without him, but they're a strong bunch. We at Tech know a thing or two about loss and I have confidence that this bunch will be able to bounce back - the spirit that's there would not allow otherwise.

County Fair?

sure, why not?

In all the years I've lived here I have yet to go to the county fair, nor have I even been aware that one existed until today. My good friend Heather who lives on the western side of the county invited me out tonight and after being a hermit for the past week, I took her up on her offer. Our friend Nathaniel from school came along with us as he used to live out there too. He wouldn't miss it for the world. Apparently it's was a tradition to go every year when both of them were growing up. Heather told me that she and our friend Kathleen used to show their horses. It's a week long event that ends on a friday with a rodeo which the whole town comes out to see. I had a great time learning about where my friends grew up and the type of things they did. There were naturally a lot of farm animals being showcased. Some of which included, the largest pigs I've ever seen in my life, tons of goats, horses, MINI HORSES (my new favorite), rabbits, and even a camel. It was pretty cool. I'm not use to being in the country but I was glad my friends took me out of my comfort zone and still made me feel like I was at home. It was perfect - just what I needed today. And to make things even better, the weather tonight was PERFECT. We sat on benches eating cotton candy and chatting. I loved it. I noticed how stars are a lot more visible out there... must be nice to see them so clearly all the time. Now, I know why my friends like it out there so much. :)

An Office Space moment

This morning I was driving in my car, windows down because it was a nice day and I put an unmarked CD in. It was a mixed CD from a long time ago and "Damn It Feels Good to be a Gangsta" came on and I was stopped at a red light. I felt so ridiculous. Ha ha ha, me in a car with this song blasting is kind of funny. I started cracking up because the whole scenario was so amazingly bad.

Shameless advertising for an idol of mine...

John "JD/awesome/badass" Boyer has a book out that you can purchase on Amazon. If it's anything like his lectures it will probably just be a fusion of hilarious, awesome, and informative. I'm not saying this just because I think Boyer is awesome - I think this is good for people to have in general just so they can better understand what is going on around them and in the world (of course). Anyway, check it out if you get the chance! You won't regret it.

Ailey, Baldwin, Floyd, Killens, and Mayfield by Maya Angelou

When great trees fall,
rocks on distant hills
shudder,
lions hunker down
in tall grasses,
and even
elephants
lumber after safety.

When great trees fall
in forests,
small things
recoil into silence,
their senses
eroded beyond fear.

When great souls die,
the air around us
becomes
light, rare, sterile.
We breathe, briefly.
Our eyes,
briefly,
see with
a hurtful clarity.
Our memory, suddenly
sharpened,
examines,
gnaws on kind words
unsaid,
promised
walks
never taken.

Great souls die and
our reality, bound to
them,
takes leave of us.
Our souls,
dependent upon their
nurture,
now
shrink, wizened.
Our minds, formed
and informed by
their
radiance,
fall away.
We are not so much maddened
as reduced to
the unutterable ignorance
of dark, cold
caves.

And when great souls die,
after a period peace
blooms,
slowly and always
irregularly. Spaces fill
with a kind
of
soothing electric vibration.
Our senses, restored, never
to be the
same, whisper to us.
They existed. They existed.
We can be. Be and
be
better. For they existed.

I've been so attached to this poem lately. I read and re-read it pretty often. It's been 3 months and it doesn't feel like it at all. 7:30pm is when I found out - I think about it the 16th of every month. Is that normal?! I can't stand the sound of sirens which I guess is a natural reaction. They're not coming back. They're REALLY not coming back and that's completely unbelievable to me. I've been trying to stay positive - trying not to dwell on this too much but in reality I haven't really been my normal self in months. I know it's like that for a lot of people too. I guess this is just the way things are supposed to be right now. In refrencing Angelou's poem... I think I am hovering at the second to last stanza as far as how I am feeling right now. Just not completely 100% myself and not yet ready to let go. I don't like faking it anymore, I'm sad and I'm still not okay with what happened. I'm going back to Tech in a couple of weeks just to prep my house for move in. I want to bring some stuff there ahead of time and maybe paint a bit. I also think a trip to the stones is long overdue. There are less people there in the summer so it'll be good to go to Stack's stone and reflect without too many people watching. I'm bringing him flowers, I've decided that. I don't even know what type of flowers he likes... it bothers me because that's something I wish I would have had the time to figure out. Instead, I guess I'm going to go with lillies because they're my favorite. This is the only place where he is tangible - a stone. It makes me think of the song "A Stone" by Okkervil River... "You love a stone, because it’s dark, and it’s old, and if it could start being alive you’d stop living alone. " Look up the lyrics, you'll see what I mean...

Random things here and there...

On my way back to the states after a week in DR, my plane was delayed from DR to Miami (where I had a connection to Dulles) which made me miss my flight home. As a result, my trip home was delayed a day and a half since Dulles Airport is such a common place to go and all flights were booked for a whole day (bitter? just a little). They paid for my hotel and all that jazz and I did get to spend a day exploring Miami so that was nice. I opted for a boat trip which was fun - I got to see Star Island. Did you know Vanilla Ice lives there?! Random. I also took a cab to South beach. It was okay - gorgeous beach, gaudy people. Don't get me wrong, I met a lot of nice people, but there was a handfull that were overly flashy. I don't see too much of that in Virginia or DC so it was different. I got to go by the Versace mansion and it was gorgeous. I thought it was a very awkward location for a house like that, it's pretty much smack in the middle of the strip which is odd. It's very public domain -- still beautiful regardless.

Anyway, somehow between getting stuck in Miami for a day and flying back home, I got sick. I don't know if it's a cold, or if it's the flu. All I know is that I'm congested and my head feels like a balloon and it feels like my nose is on fire. Not so fun. I don't know how I got sick. It sucks, but I guess it came at a good time. I've been keeping myself medicated and I've been drinking a lot of tea. Hopefully it helps and hopefully I'll be 100% soon. I hate being sick in general but even moreso in the summer because the weather is so nice out and I hate not being active and not being social. Oh well, I guess I should stop complaining, things could be worse right? I'll just wait this one out.

I went to Ikea the other day to pick up a couple of things - I forgot how much fun that place was. I wanted to buy everything in sight. Good news is... I didn't. :)

Justin called last night at 2:30am and left a joint message with Sagar that teased me for being asleep "so early." They then proceeded to tell me I was lame. Haha, drunk messages still?! Come on guys. As annoying as it was to have the phone right not once but twice when I was sick and trying to sleep... the message was funny and I appreciated it. Just don't make it a nightly thing guys... :P

I also got a letter from Tommy in the mail which was great! He's currently at bootcamp for the army (well... he wrote on Army stationary so I'm guessing that's what he's there for - I should probably be a better friend and find out for sure). Anyway, I've known him since High School and we ended up at the same college. He was in the ROTC his first year and at Tech if you're a freshman and an ROTC member that pretty much means your life sucks nonstop for a whole year. They've got it bad. I'm talking 30 second showers, all these crazy rules etc etc. It's just not fun. I remember letting him come to my room just so he could watch some TV or just letting him use the dorm shower. You get the picture - it's just not fun. Anyway, reading his letters kind of brings me back to Freshman year - the stuff he writes about going through makes me feel so bad for him. He has a way of making his misery so humerous. I love reading his letters for this reason. Also, I love writing and getting letters. They're so much better than e-mail so I think that's why I get so excited when I hear from him. I can't wait to see him back at school - it should be a fun reunion as both of us will have post summer birthdays to celebrate. He is like the big brother I always wish I had and I miss having him around. Oh well... soon enough right? Soon enough.

In other news... I'm going to New York in a little over a weekish to reunite with one of my best friends in the world/celebrate another lap around the sun (translation it's my birthday) and I couldn't be more excited!

More notes on the DR trip:

- European men LOVE their speedos, everyone was wearing them and the few europeans that wern't were in tiny swim trunks... The older the men were, the more neon their speedo color choices. It was interesting to say the least.

- European women don't have to be in Europe to go topless. They play by their rules, EVERYWHERE.

- Red lights are just suggestions to "watch out" after 9pm according to the taxi driver. He said it was the law. I was SO sketched out.

- Dancing + music = 24-7

- They don't believe in the word "no" because I didn't hear anybody say it

- I got to use my French as Haiti is right next door to the DR so it came in handy at the airport and with all of the French people on holiday.

- I was one of four Americans, I felt like I was in the South of France

- I decided dinner on the beach is probably one of my favorite things

- The Europeans like their manpris

- Little french kids are really cute...

- Solitude is nice and not knowing anybody is nice too (sometimes)

- Don't drink water south of the US boarder

- I love being surrounded by palm trees

I'm back from my stint in the DR. It was really nice, I've added pictures to Facebook, I think I'll add some to Flickr tomorrow or whenever I get the chance. There's so much to say about my experience there I don't even know where to begin.

I guess really, it was very simple and I really needed that. The clock in my room was blinking 12:00 when I got there. I never bothered to set it to the correct time. I got lost in the day and didn't have a sense of time. It really didn't matter to me, I just wanted to come and go as I pleased, explore the surrounding area, go to the beach, take naps under palm trees. The concept of time just wasn't important. I've spent the whole year planning my day down to the minute - I had a rough schedule during the school year and couldn't afford to be late, ever so it was just really nice to not have to worry about being somewhere.

I also didn't bring my cellphone with me which was another great life choice. Don't get me wrong, there's NOTHING I love more than hearing from friends - it was just nice to have that time to myself. I think I'm going to start leaving my cellphone at home when I go to lunch or dinner so my time with people I go to eat with isn't interrupted by ringing or calls that I "have to take." In actuality, these calls can probably wait. I think we're programmed to feel a sense of urgency when the phone rings... It's very Pavlovian of us which is sad really, it really redefines what personal interaction really is and it's unsettling.

That's it for now... I'm exhausted... I should probably sleep for real. I guess as the week unfolds I'll write more about the trip and post pictures and work on some sort of clip to post to vimeo.

Over and out.

Day 1

both my flights were delayed yesterday so I didn't actually end up getting here until 2am

the taxi driver waited for 2 hours at the airport... now that's service
he was also the nicest man alive

the drive was so sketchy, they don't have street lights and most people on motorcycles don't drive with their tail lights on... let's just say there's a lot of dodging... it's like a video game
good thing the taxi driver knew the roads well, i was pretty scared

the resort is insane. super gorgeous! the staff is beyond accomidating and they are all so nice.
the food thus far has been delicious
but the highlight has really been the drinks... it's ridiculous everywhere you go there's a bartender, on the beach... in the pool... walking along random sidewalks in the resort... in the lobby... seriously, it's crazy. so far so good...

signing off, more updates later!

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BOUNNNND!

As of this time tomorrow, I will be in the Dominican Republic! I've never been there before so I am extremely excited. I've heard some great things from friends. Stay tuned for pictures and video clips. I think I'll try to document my trip there this time around and try to figure out how to use the editing software on my computer. The great thing about this trip is that my bar tab was included in my ticket (good call on my part) and I think I will certainly be putting those priveleges to use. I'm all smiles - I really can't wait. Here's a link to the resort just in case you're looking to get away for awhile. Looks great in pictures, hopefully it's that beautiful in person. I'll post an update when I get back.

Yessss!

Tony has archived our Sophomore year on his photo site and I went and looked at the pictures today. I think I laughed for about an hour. It brought back a lot of memories and it also made me realize how glad I am to have slowed down since then.

http://community.webshots.com/user/tdihmes

It begins with the album "Team Fun: taking blacksburg" and then ends with "End of the year wine party."

Those were some really crazy times, I don't think I'd be able to keep up now. I'm not sure if I would want to even if I could. We don't hang out nearly as much as a group anymore - don't get me wrong we still see each other all the time, it's just I don't think anyone really has that much "party" left in them. It's good to notice by looking through all these pictures that we've all grown so much since then.

From time to time I bust out my hokie gear - I do this more so at school than I do when I'm home, but as of late whenever I'm wearing anything virginia tech related people always ask about what happened/if I knew anyone. Luckily so far people have been very polite about it, plus there are a ton of Hokies in northern Virginia which is great - you have extended family everywhere you turn and it makes things easier to talk about because they can all relate. It's amazing. Anyway, I find that every time I talk about Stack or when I tell stories about him, the first thing that always comes out of my mouth is, "he had a heart the size of a mack truck." Reading that just made me smile. It makes me so happy to know that such an amazing person even existed and it reminds me how much better off I am for knowing someone like that. Even in death he still has such a large impact on the people that knew him. My friends say when they drive around the drillfield, they always have an urge to park and walk up to the 32 stones, sit there and talk to him or just reflect. They say they always feel better afterwards - it makes sense. Even though he's not around anymore, just the thought of him can make anyone smile. I think in the future, this is where I'll go at night to clear my head. I carry a picture of him in my wallet... well it's more like a cigarette case turned credit card holder because I don't smoke... ha. It's so good to see his infamous smile constantly throughout the day. It makes it so it doesn't feel like he's so far away. They're never too far away.

random but necessary...

How amazing was the Federer v. Nader match this morning? Seriously... it was really great to watch. Finally Federer plays against somebody who actually has the ability to beat him. I forget which set it was, I think 2nd or 3rd where Nader hit that amazing shot while falling/sitting down and we see the ball hit the line and it's in. The competition was SO good... I was secretly rooting for Nader... but Federer was over the top amazing. He deserved the win. I wish all tennis matches were this exciting. After watching this particular match, I've decided that I need to be a spectator at Wimbledon at some point in my life, preferably sooner than later.

You stay classy, VT!

I got an e-mail today from the psyc department in regards to this year's football game. It's obvious that the first home game will be an emotional one. There has already been talk about turning it into a Hokies United game where everyone wears their HU shirts. I know I'll be wearing mine proudly. On that note, the e-mail served as a reminder that "all eyes will be on us" and that we should continue to conduct ourselves with class just as we did when tragedy struck. Lane Stadium at Virginia tech is notoriously known as one of the toughest places for opposing teams to play, but instead of booing the other team when they run out on our field this year, we should cheer. Why? Because for one day, they were Hokies - they felt our pain, and were quick to offer overwhelming support. You wouldn't boo another Hokie would you? I thought it was really great that the psyc department sent this out - I hope others feel the same way. That doesn't mean that we can't get rowdy during the game, I think in respect for the game, and for those who support us the least we can do is show our respect for people who have helped us so much. Great idea Psyc department!

Oh PS... GET EXCITED because ESPN's Game Day crew are kicking off their season debut at VT's first home game. Tune in as it will probably be amazing.

All this talk of VT football is really making me anticipate my return to campus and to Lane stadium. :)

Speaking of returning to campus... I just bought entirely way too many things for my room. I've lived in the townhouse for a year and it's nice, but I think a few extra touches here and there will make it a lot more comfortable. I have a pretty comfortable bed at school but it does not compare to the one I have at home so I went out and bought a ton of mattress pads/toppers and some jersey sheets today. The dangerous thing about this is a) never wanting to get out of bed and b) not being able to study in bed ever. Haha, I'm okay with that. Other random touches include new curtains, and lamps, and bathroom rugs, and wall art. I decided to go with black and white photos of all things that remind me of New York... why? Because Mike L's perfect black and white picture of the b-bridge in New York is already up and hanging in my room. I figured just to take that and run with it so I purchased more black and whites of New York and one of Audrey Hepburn - I'm not sure if I will put them all up, but it's good to have the option. I'm excited to go back and decorate. It'll make the house feel like it's new. Plus, I have new roommates coming in so it'll be nice to see how different the place will look as I am living with girls this time around.

Come over sometime!

"Soon all the joy that pours from everything makes fountains of your eyes
Because you finally understand the movement of a hand waving you goodbye" - Conor Oberst

I popped in "Fevers and Mirrors" while driving today after not having it on rotation for months. As depressing as this CD is, I don't feel depressed when listening to it at all. Years down the road, if anyone ever asks me to describe my musical tastes circa College, I would just tell them I listened to a lot of Bright Eyes. It's very Bob Dylan-esque, very relatable, very raw, and even heartbreaking at times... the newer CDs are a lot more hopeful... I don't know, I've had a lot of things on my mind lately. Recently, death has been a reoccurring theme around me and it just gets you down after awhile you know? How much can you really take before you are completely torn apart? I was really happy rediscovering this CD today I guess because it comforted me plus it reminded me to listen to some of his newer stuff... the song "Going for the Gold" came on and I just loved the last verse... "I know a girl who cries when she practices violin/Because each note sounds so pure/It just cuts into her/And then the melody comes pouring out her eyes/Now to me, everything else, it just sounds like a lie" I guess if anything, it really reminded me to focus more on the things that are important to me and forget the rest. I should live to the point of tears to really appreciate the beauty in life and the places and people that surround me.

I suppose that was my big "wow" moment of the day.
Sorry if I sound a bit bias towards Bright Eyes, I swear they are not paying me to say good things about them - a friend of mine actually plays violin and tours with them so hearing his part(s) in the songs always makes me happy.

A few things...

- After attempting to resist the Wii, I finally broke down and played it a few days ago. It's pretty much amazing. I especially liked the tennis game. Dare I say, I may even like it more than guitar hero? I think I might.

- I'm still listening to John Legend on repeat.

- I've decided to get a Macbook Pro. I hope it's good to me. I'm kind of excited to figure out how this iChat works. I've heard good things.

- I'm really craving a Bollo's pumpking chocolate chip muffin. I can't wait to go back to school so I can get one.

- I missed Andrew Bird when he was playing at the 9:30 club, but he is going to be in Asheville, North Carolina Sept 11. Yes, it's a Tuesday, but it's ANDREW BIRD! If I don't have an exam the next day... I'm going. This reminds me of the time Josh, Drew, and I drove down to North Carolina for a Bright Eyes concert the day before finals. It was super spontaneous, and SO worth it... we didn't get back until 4am and I actually studied in the car on the way there and back... and by some miracle pulled of an A on the final and in the class so the lesson learned here is.. exam or not, carpe diem and just do it because it's so worth it.

:/

Life is so fragile. Say it out loud to yourself and give it a few seconds to sink in. One of my very good friends came to me today with some bad news. One of her friends had passed away. My heart just sank. I know what it feels like to get the news. I know what it's like to have your world stop. And as cliche as it sounds, that's what really happens. Your brain kind of just freezes, you start to shake, and you're overcome with disbelief - nothing in the world matters as much to you at that moment than that person. Everything else is just a detail to you - people, objects, etc. She is one of my closest friends and I just hate to see her so broken. When the whole incident at Tech occured, she insisted that I come and spend a night at her place before driving home. Luckily, she goes to school 2 hours away from me so that was entirely possible. I did, and there was nothing I needed more than to be with a friend at that moment. I hope I can be as strong for her now as she was for me three months ago. I guess in times like these you really begin to fully grasp how ephemeral everything is. All you can really do is be with your friends so you can help each other through the hard times to come.

"to live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die"
- thomas campbell

Currently Obsessed
I know this is a little after the fact since this was released awhile ago but I'm pretty much in lust with this album right now. I'm not sure if I'm in love with it yet - time will tell. It's really sexy and breezy. I feel like I could play this while cooking with the windows open or have this on rotation while on a road trip. He's really great. If you haven't listened to him yet check him out here and if you like what you hear, but his CD here. Favorite tracks so far include "Save Room" and "P.D.A. (We just don't care)." It's actually all really easy listening - I now I have a crush on his voice.

Oh PS: CNN has a new layout on their website!!!

I like it a lot. It's easier to navigate and it's less cluttered. They got rid of a lot of the lines.

I guess that's not really news, but I pay attention to these sorts of things.

I can't stop crying tonight. I miss them so so much. There was a point a couple weeks back when I realized I wasn't crying myself to sleep anymore over this. I thought it was progress... I don't know what the deal is with tonight, but it's so draining both physically and emotionally. I think it's all because I have much more time on my hands now then when I was at school so I have more time to think about these things. It's so tough and sometimes I wish the tears would just stop. To be able to do that physically you'd have to dehydrate yourself which in turn would just land you in the hospital hooked up to an IV. If those are my choices, I choose crying. I just hate that I'm thinking about this too much and over analyzing a situation that I had no control over.

I guess the only thing getting me through this is knowing that they're okay. Okay maybe not knowing for sure, but innately, I feel a sense of peace in regards to where they are. You've seen their profiles and read about them - what better people to be watching over us right? They're presence is still here and it's strong. I constantly see things that remind me of Stack and they make me smile just like he did. I see him in the perfect weather we've been having. I see him in the songs that I hear that make me want to sing along. I see him in the sunshine that kisses my forehead when I step outside in the morning. I see him in the slight breeze that comes into my room when I crack the window open. I see him in myself and in others around me. He's still very much here and I'm thankful that I haven't forgotten that.

"I'm sorry, I can't talk about it."
- everyone at GW

This weekend was jam packed with friends from all over, new friends, and an additional 200+ miles added to my car. I had a blast.

Friday, I met up with an old friend for coffee. He is a physics expert so he offered to help me out and brush me up on Physics when he learned I was studying for the MCAT. I think we're going to do it again soon but I had a lot of fun catching up with him. His brother actually goes to my school so we've been able to keep in touch all these years. He was actually my physics partner in High School and one of the few people I've kept in touch with since going off to college. It was so good seeing him again.

Afterwards, I went to George Washington University because a friend of a friend was having a little gathering. I had a blast. Everybody was extremely nice and outgoing. I never once felt awkward. It was a great crowd to say the least. We walked in and got called out for being too "preppy." I thought it was a little ironic seeing as we were at George Washington. How do you outprep them? And, the funny thing is, we weren't even dressed to the nines or anything. Just normal going out clothes. Jeans and a tank top. No big deal. Anyway, as we made our way in immediately people began to shake our hands and introduce themselves. It was really nice - different to what I'm use to at Tech. The rest of the night was a lot of fun - the weather was perfect, there were people out on the balcony and tons of good drinks to go around (I had my share of gin and tonics). We got to talk to a lot of people and it was so funny because everyone there had top secret summer jobs, clearance, and all that jazz. When you asked, "hey what are you doing this summer?" The normal response would be, I'm sorry I can't talk about it." TYPICAL DC. As weird as it sounds, I felt like I was home. Every time, I think of home what I think of is friends, their parents, neighbors with jobs that nobody can talk about. It was good to be reminded of that. We even rode home on the metro - what is more DC than that? It's good to be back. Even better is the fact that I have new friends to come home to from now on that will help me reacquaint myself with the city.

Saturday was jam packed full of things to do. I woke up surprisingly early (9am) considering I didn't get back to my house until 4am the night before. It was Heather's birthday and she had her party on her farm. It was a lot of fun seeing friends from school again, some of which had driven 5 hours to be there. Even better was that they didn't tell anyone they were coming despite calls to see if they'd show up. It was a complete surprise. I loved it and pretty much did a running jump that ended with a hug when they all arrived. Unfortunately, I had to leave early because I overbooked my weekend and promised some other friends I would be able to meet them in Charlottesville so I had to drive 2 hours which generally isn't a big deal, but I was pretty tired so it was kind of on edge trying to stay alert. I'm talking windows down and music up. I finally made it there a bit after midnight. The girls were still awake so we stayed up talking/catching up/venting about how our past relationships have sucked/funny things that have happened to us and only us throughout the year. "That WOULD happen" and "Seriously?!" were frequently exchanged and very sarcastically so. It was a fun night. I had a blast. That morning, Dave me up with us and by chance he was in Charlottesville and by chance he had moved a few doors down from where Nina lived so we went and got bagels with him. We were still in our PJs which looked semi normal. We tried to pass it off like we were done with our morning runs and that's why we were dressed the way we were. Needless to say, everyone busted out their sunglasses to hide any signs of the night before, even Dave. Breakfast/brunch was a ton of fun. Dave is HILARIOUS and was cracking jokes that whole time. We were laughing nonstop. What a good way to start Sunday morning! Afterwards, we walked back, looking sketchy as usual and he gave us a tour of his house and came back to see Nina's new digs. More laughter ensued there. I had to leave at this point and it was around 11 am so I said my goodbyes and headed 2 hours north. It was a lot of driving to do within 24 hours but completely worth it. I'm so glad I got to see all my friends and spend time with them this weekend. There's nothing I look forward to more.

Anyway, now I'm back after an amazing weekend and ready to hit the books. Hopefully, there are more weekends like this to come.