The Joys and Unforseen Consequences of Being 21, and a Mini Vacation: Introduction

Note that this post is titled "introduction" for a couple reasons: The first being that my computer or internet or Firefox or whatever it is is doing that thing where though I type an average of over 90 words per minute, only one letter is showing up at a time and there's a horrendous lag, and, well, I just can't deal with that.

The second reason is that in about an hour L. and I are leaving to go to the airport on our mini vacation! We're going to Santa Barbara to visit his parents until Monday. Sure, it's only going to be 55, maybe 60 degrees--certainly not beach, or, much to my chagrin, sandal weather--but it's better than the single digit temps and snow here in Western Mass! (Though to be fair, the last few days we've had 50 degree rain, and sun snow showers? Um?)

So, fear not, the 21st birthday shenanigans are indeed on their way, and I promise that you'll appreciate how ridiculous the past few days have been. I've realized, as well, that being 21 involves being in a constant state of hangover, which isn't very nice.

Also, thanks so much everyone for all the super sweet Birthday wishes! xo

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I'm 21!

That's right, friends. Watch out, because today is my long-awaited 21st birthday. And 10 hours in, there have already been many, many blog-worthy shenanigans.

Looking forward to sharing them all with you tomorrow but for today, I'm gonna get off the computer and go celebrate!

The Interior Designer Within Is Yearning for Something Other Than a Dorm Room

I need to get an apartment, and fast.

My creativity is being stifled in a dorm room. I'm so over college living.

I'm channeling my design tendencies vicariously into mood boards that I hope will be of use to me next year when I'm actually designing my very own apartment!

Here is my dream bedroom:

Bedroom by michellewthonel on Polyvore.com

True Story: My Professor Now Thinks I'm a Jerk, and I Probably Have Mono

1. The boyfriend has been sleeping through his iPhone alarm (that goes off at 7:45 IN THE MORNING) a lot of mornings this month, most likely because his internal body temperature is probably set at 118 degrees and he thus insists in sleeping with the noisy fan on in the middle of the winter. (I counteract this by turning the heat up...I'm not paying the heating bill! Ah, the wonders of dorm life). As a result, I've been graciously offering to set my cell phone alarm (who uses alarm clocks any more, anyway?) for the ungodly hour of 7:45 to ensure he doesn't oversleep and can be on time to the hospital (he's "being a doctor" this month, aka shadowing), and then I happily re-set my alarm to 9am and wake up for my 10am class. It's college. I can sleep late if I like.

Well, this morning the same old deal went down, although the night before I had kindly asked him if he could re-set my alarm in the morning so that I didn't have to do a darn thing and could sleep happily while he prepared to actually contribute something to the real world. So my alarm goes off at 7:45, he gets up but doesn't get out of bed, and I finally begrudgingly crack open an eye around 7:55 to see him staring dumbfoundedly at my EnV 3, which is clearly more confusing than an iPhone. After deducing that he has no idea how to set my alarm, becoming annoyed at my state of wakefulness, and remaining half asleep, I set my alarm to 10am and fall back asleep.

My alarm proceeds to go off at 10am. Thinking it's 9am, I drift in and out of sleep until about 10:45 and then, thinking it's 9:45, throw on some leggings, an oversized sweater, and my fuggs, and wander over to class. I open the door and see that everyone's already there and have begun to discuss the novel, and figure I'm a minute or two late.

Everyone turns to stare. "Hi," my professor says, taking a break from his lecture.

"Hi!" I reply, sleepily but cheerfully, as I take my seat and begin taking out my notebook and novels. There's an almost imperceptible beat, but class continues as usual and I jump right into the conversation.

It's only when I glance at the screen of the laptop of the guy sitting next to me that I realize what time it actually is: 11:30. Class, as I said, begins at 10. A note of panic strikes me. I stupidly try to figure out if I've actually been in class for an hour and a half already, wonder if I fell asleep at some point, and then begin to have vague remembrances of setting my alarm for 10.

Mortified, I pray for class to end. At noon, when everyone else is leaving, I walk up to my prof.

"I'm so sorry I was late." I say emphatically. "I set my alarm an hour ahead and didn't notice the time difference."

He glances at me. Clearly doesn't believe me. "Yeah," he says, "I thought it was odd how casually you sauntered in."

Facepalm. I am so mortified.

New goals for the rest of the month: Make boyfriend find a Plan C of waking up on time, and convince my prof I'm not a jerk.

Also, find out if I have mono. WHY am I finding it so difficult to wake up at a respectable hour?

Date Night and a Must-Hear

Note: Shameless Plugging ahead
(but not for myself so it's okay...right?)

Though we haven't been apart very much this week, L. and I are getting a little stir-crazy on campus, which is why I've been so looking forward to spending some time together on our date night tonight!

We're driving to the grand city of Pittsfield to have dinner and see a show by a great band, Darlingside.

Its members are all recent (and waningly recent, he-he) graduates of Williams, and they're really great and talented guys who are on the verge of their big break! So if you like indie, string-rock, cellos, quintets, acoustic jams, or just great music, check this video out and spread the word!

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

Beautiful Blogger Award

And here you all thought today would be a meaty post filled with fresh insights, witty anecdotes and a touch of sarcastic asides after I managed to shirk my blogging duties yesterday by posting about my award, aka taking the easy way out.

Well, if I ever do achieve any of those things on a normal day, I have to apologize and ask you to give me one more day of self-indulgence. Furthermore, I have to thank the lovely Katherine Anne at Medical School Mrs. for thinking of me!

The rules of this one are:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award
2. Paste the award on your blog
3. Link back to the person who gave you the award
4. Share seven interesting things about yourself
5. Nominate up to 7 more beautiful bloggers
6. Link the seven bloggers you nominate
7. Shouldn't there be a seventh rule? There's seven everything-elses. Oh well.

Seven Beautiful Bloggers:

1. J. at Kissing Frogs
2. Jessica B. at Everyday Adventures of Me in the City
3. Stephany at Stephany Writes
4. CJR at Girl v. The World
5. Date Girl at Date Girl Diaries
6. Melissa at Duoly Noted
7. Melissa at So About What I Said...

Now I think I'm supposed to list seven interesting things about me. Maybe that was the seventh rule. That would make a lot of sense.

Seven Interesting Things About Me:

1. I am adopted; the papers didn't officially go through until I was 16! Though I've been living with my adoptive family since I was about 12.

2. I was the sports editor for my college newspaper and have often thought about going into sports journalism; I know I could hold my own out there with the boys.

3. I had never been to New York City until the age of 20 (or, two weeks ago!), and still have never been to Disney World or anywhere in any other continent besides London.

4. I am absolutely clinically diagnosably panic-attack ridden and anxiety stricken about flying. I hyperventilate, cry, shake, vomit, and sometimes do all of the above when I fly. Incidentally, I am also flying four times (so far) in the upcoming year...

5. I am not, however, in the least afraid of sharks (I love them and have been swimming with them), snakes, clowns, public speaking, dogs, rodents, or thunder and lightning.

6. I am, however, afraid of probably everything else.

7. I got my first pedicure at the age of 19. ...But now I am utterly addicted.

Splash Award

Stephany, who blogs over at Stephany Writes, gave me the Splash Award last week, and I had planned to save it for a rainy day (no pun intended...okay, I intended it) in which I had nothing else to write about. Thanks Stephany!

Well my friends, though the sun is miraculously shining in Williamstown for the first time in weeks (literally), it is in essence a rainy day for yours truly since I have nothing interesting to share with you all today.

Here are the rules of the blog award!:

1. Put the logo up on your blog.
2. Nominate up to 9 blogs which allure, amuse, bewitch, impress or inspire you.
3. Link to your nominees in the post.
4. Let them know that they have been splashed by commenting on their blog. (I usually wait to do this to see if people find it out on their own, and then I know they would have read the blog either way. Muahaha.)
5. Remember to link to the person from whom you received the award.
6. Have FUN.

For this award, in the interest of "having fun" and to be a little different, 'cause that's what I'm all about, I suppose I will find a blog that does each of the adjectives listed above. It will be fun and probably quite awkward:

Alluring blog: Date Girl is alluring in two exactly polar opposite ways: her stories of terrible dates, ones-who-got-away, and the general ups and downs of dating were hilarious and, honestly, sometimes scary, but she just got engaged (!), and since we all know I'm obsessed with weddings, I am so excited to see the development of hers.

Amusing blog: Duoly Noted. Melissa is one of the funniest people I've ever "known." Also, really funny and sometimes unfortunately funny things seem to happen to her disproportionately more than other people?

Bewitching blog: Dictionary.com lists "bewitching" as enchanting, interesting, fascinating. With that definition, I'm gonna go with Shine Out Loud, because the more graphic her posts get, the more I can't tear my eyes away from them. It is great stuff.

Impressive blog: This is gonna have to go to Cup of JO, though she probably doesn't even know I exist (sniffle...); she posts multiple times a day, is classy, witty and charming, and has about a bajillion followers. Goal of my life.

Inspirational blog: Medical School Mrs., because I basically want to have her exact life in 3 years when L. is in his second year of med school, and she seems like such a sweetheart and great wife.