Country Roads, Take Me Home

Blue Ridge Parkway, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia.  This was right near where the Appalachian Trail follows.  I actually saw numerous "AT" signs.

I had a great weekend!  On Friday, I went to turn in my 11 page research paper that I stayed up ALL NIGHT doing the night before.  I was delirious.  I was sleep deprived.  I was so happy to turn in that darn paper!  It was for my political science class and the topic was Female Child Soldiers used in Third World Armies.  It was extremely interesting to research and write, but it was just a long and pain-staking process! 

This weekend was exciting for me - one of my best friends from high school goes to James Madison University (in VA) and she invited me to come up and visit her this weekend, along with 2 of our other best friends who came from UMD and Penn State.  AHHH!  I was so excited that I didn't have a rugby game so that I was able to go!  I was supposed to leave Friday after my classes, but I was so exhausted from working on that paper, that I decided to be safe and leave early Saturday morning.

The drive up was absolutely gorgeous.  For a portion of the drive, I was on The Virginia Byway, which is fantastically breathtaking at times.  I was also on the Blue Ridge Parkway - look it up, it's amazing.  The drive up was early in the morning, and it was pretty chilly, so I drove through a good deal of fog and was unable to see the extent of the beauty of The Blue Ridge Mountains.  Luckily, during my drive home today, the weather was perfect - like 65, sunny, slightly breezy, with big puffy clouds in the sky.  So, I pulled over numerous times to take it all in.  I was so happy, and so in my element.

But - the important and best part of the trip was the part in between the drives!  It was sooo good to see Meredith, Maria, and Theresa!  I miss them so much, and it's rare that we're all home at the same time anymore, except for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We got to meet a lot of Maria's friends from school, and went to this crazy Frat dance party.  Usually, Frat parties aren't really my scene, but Maria knows all of the brothers in this fraternity, so it was good to meet/see them and also good to dance!  

It was a great weekend, but now it's back to the grind... I have lots of work to do for my three exams coming up this week!

Just Go Ahead Now.

Me, running with the ball.  I love my new socks!

Modeling was MUCH better today.  I held the same pose again for the entire class, and this time it was a standing pose.  I was standing with my arm resting on a tall stool and my other hand on my hip.  It wasn't painful at all, except that my hand was severely falling asleep.  One weird thing that happened today - have you ever felt a bead of sweat run down your back or the side of your face?  It kind of tickles or itches, right?  Well, imagine a bead of sweat s.l.o.w.l.y. traveling from your armpit all the way down your side, down your thigh, and all the way down your leg to your foot.  It felt like an ant crawling on me, and I wanted to wipe it off SO BADLY but I couldn't move.  Aghhh!  

One nice thing did happen today, though.  I was heading to the bathroom to change back into my clothes (I wear a robe back and forth to the bathroom/classroom) and ran into one of the girls in the class, and she gave me the nicest compliment about modeling!  It made me feel a lot better... I don't feel self-conscious about my body at all (well, sometimes I do a little) but I mostly feel self conscious about whether I'm modeling okay - wether they can tell my bad knee is trembling when I stand on it too long, wether they can see me very, very slowly shift my head downward so that my neck doesn't get cramped, wether I come back from a break and am able to get back into the SAME EXACT position I was just in.  It was nice to hear some kind words, I think I needed that.  :-)

I don't have the energy to write about my advising appointment yesterday.  Basically, I have to take 3 more classes and an internship to graduate, yet one of the classes is a pre-req for my internship, so this must be done over 2 semesters (there is absolutely, positively, NO WAY that I am allowed to do it in one...grr!)  So, I asked, what am I supposed to fill up all the extra space with?  And my advisor suggested that I maybe do a double-major, since I already completed a lot of my Deaf Ed. classes back before I switched majors.  I'm looking into it, and it may actually be possible for me to complete.  How weird would that be - to graduate with two degrees?  One in Child & Adolescent Development, and one in Advocacy and Programs for the Deaf.

No practice tonight, so I must go get some of my huge research paper done!  It's due Friday - say a prayer, because Lord knows how I will finish it before then!!

Lots

Sorry for the lack of updates.  I've been in somewhat of a rut the last week or so.  We played a great game against Wake Forest last Saturday, and beat them 33-10.  Our team played really well, and I was proud of them.  I scored a try, but right when I scored I accidentally got kneed in the face, and for some reason, immediately vomited.  Well... if you get hit in the head and then throw up, no one is going to let you  back into the game.  So, I cheered on my team from the sidelines for the last 15 minutes of the match.  I also have this enormous scrape on my knee that is annoying to deal with, but oh well.  

 I had the scariest dream last night.  I was pregnant, and when I went to the doctor, they told me that my unborn child had NB and that in order for it to get chemotherapy, they would have to give it to me so that it would travel to the baby.  (Makes no sense, I know).  

My mom and Carlos are visiting for my birthday, and I can't wait.  I'm seriously counting down the days until they get here.  Although, I have sooo much to do up until April 17, including an exam ON the 17th.  But, every single year of college I have had an exam on my birthday, it's a tradition now.

I modeled yesterday (and will again tomorrow).  It's going well, but yesterday was a little bit harder than the first day.  I held one pose for the entire class (2 hours 50 minutes) with two ten minute breaks.  That is a long time to sit on a sunken ottoman with my arms draped on two stools!  It really wasn't that bad though.

Time for class.

Today is Maddy's birthday, so go wish her a happy one!

March!!

March is one of my favorite months for 3 reasons.  

1. It's starting to get warmer.  Even though this year has been a little off, usually in North Carolina it's in the 60s with a few days in the 70s.  I am so looking forward to having consistently warm weather - today is beautiful.  Sunny and 68.  

2. St. Patrick's Day!!  I looove St. Patty's day and I am a good bit Irish.  My great great grandfather immigrated here from Ireland at the age of 12 all by himself!  Yesterday I went to class and then at 2 met Kim and her boyfriend out at the Irish pub downtown, which was having a HUUUGE celebration with contests, games, concerts, giveaways, etc.  We had fun and then left around 6 and went to practice.  After practice, we went back out until around 11.  It was really, really fun!!  I love to see all of the people out, and I looove bagpipes (despite my dislike of loud noises!) 

Note the Green beverage!

3. Lastly, I love March because of MARCH MADNESS!  We were driving back to Greensboro on Sunday when the NCAA selections were made, and I couldn't wait to get home and print out my bracket and fill it out!!  When I was in 5th grade we filled out brackets because my teacher was a big basketball fan.  And I came in 2nd!  (My dad helped me a little..haha)  I don't want to jinx myself, because I'm in a pool with some friends this year, but I'll update as it goes :-)

That's about it for now.  Good Weather, Good Holiday, Good Sports ... ahh Good Month!

New Toy

One of the reasons that I bought my big camera was because my little digital camera finally gave out and died.  It was also involved in a beer bottle/diaper/Halloween costume incident (Don't ask...)  I love my big camera and I'm totally happy with it, but for the past few months, I've found that it's not suitable for taking certain places.  I can't carry it to the bar, baseball games, concerts, etc.  Also, whenever I go to a rugby social, I want to have a camera, but I'm too nervous that mine will get ruined somehow.  

So, since I got my financial aid refund check last month, I told myself that I would buy myself a present with a little portion of it.  What I really wanted was an inexpensive digital camera, just to take with me places where I couldn't take my Nikon.  There's a camera that I've always loved (it's actually the newer, better version of my old tiny digital camera).  And last weekend, I went ahead and splurged and bought it!  I found it $30 cheaper at a store that I hate shopping at, but oh well.   It's a Canon Power Shot 1100.

I'm actually really impressed with it, and it has this great "digital macro" setting, which is what I captured those last 3 photos with.  The first photo was with a "color accent" mode, where the photo is black and white except for one color that you set.  One of my friends from high school had that mode on her camera a few years ago, and we had so much fun playing with it!

LTLYM #52

#52. Write the phone call you wish you could have.  

[warning: this is a little depressing, so skip this post if you don't want to read it.]

Him: Hello?

Me: Hi, it's Kristen.  I want to know why.

Him: Why what?

Me: Why you did and said what you did.  Why you made that decision that night.

Him: [Whatever his answer is... I don't even care if it's stupid or hurtful.]

Me: How do you feel about what you did?

Him: I feel horrible, I regret it, I am so sorry... I didn't mean what I said to you, you are actually beautiful.  I am so sorry, and I know those words will never be enough.

Me: You are right.  Do you know what the last 5 years, 2 months, and 24 days have been like for me?

Him: I can't even imagine.

Me: No, you can't imagine, and you will never know.  Do not try to contact me again, and I want you to know that I am in contact with the proper resources to ruin your life.  

Him: Okay, I won't ever try to contact you again, and I am still very sorry for what happened.

Me: I hate you.

Him: I don't blame you.

Then I hang up.

I have played some variation of that conversation out in my mind many, many, many times.  Surprisingly, there have never been any "F you"s included, or anything else really that profane.  

That was actually kind of healing to write it out like that.  I know it seems trivial; the things that I would say, and the things that he would say.  And I know that if that phone call ever happened, even if it was exactly like that, it wouldn't magically fix things or erase what happened, or make me feel like I had closure.  But, it's the imaginary phone call I think about the most, so therefore, I guess it's the one I wish I could have.

Leaving Delaware

Spring Break is over, sadly.  We're leaving Wilmington within the hour to drive back to Greensboro.  Tomorrow it's back to classes, work, and practice.  

I have lots more to write about, but it's going to have to wait until we get back!

Game Shows Touch Our Lives

I have written before about how sometimes certain smells can completely transport me to another time and space in my life.  Yesterday, I drove home from New Jersey, to my mom's new house.  We moved into this house about 2 months after she was diagnosed with cancer, and about 2 weeks before my mom had major surgery to have a tumor removed from her kidney.  After we moved in, we scrambled to get everything unpacked so that everything would be ready for my mom's recovery.  

When I walked in the door yesterday, my eyes couldn't help but fill with tears at the memory of my time here last fall.  The fear that built up inside of me during the two weeks before her surgery, wondering if they would get it all, wondering if they would make a mistake, wondering if every second away from the surgery the cancer was growing and exploding.  It reminded me of during her surgery, coming home from the hospital with Kelsey and Meg, exhausted but not able to sleep, keeping ourselves busy with home movies and making 20 phone calls to family and friends.... It reminded me of after the surgery, me laying quietly on the couch reading while my mom napped off her pain meds in her favorite chair, me preparing whatever dinner had been dropped off for us, watching The Price is Right together while I did crossword puzzles, occasionally asking her for an answer.  

I remembered it all very suddenly (not that I ever forgot any of those things) and it took me by surprise.  

A little while later, I read Matt's Update on Matt, Liz, and Madeline about how a smell reminded him of a time last year as well.  

I fly like paper...

I was finally able to see Slumdog Millionaire, and in my opinion, it definitely lived up to all of the awards it was given at the Oscars.  It was absolutely stunning.  The music was amazing, the acting was incredible, and I loved the story line.  I was completely blown away by it, I can't wait to buy it on DVD.  I especially loved the littlest boys who played Salim and Jamal.  They were so adorable, and I loved their accents!

Today I'm leaving New Jersey and heading down to Delaware to see my family.  Tomorrow my mom was able to get a day off work, so we're going to do something fun - I don't know what yet, though.  Friday I'll be in Chestertown to do the rounds and visit everyone - that's like 4 households of people haha.  Saturday there's a rugby game at my sister's school about 20 minutes away, so I think we're all going to go to it  :-)  And hopefully I'll get to spend some time with my mom's boyfriend Carlos too-- he's so nice and I really like hanging out with him!

So, now I'm off to take a shower, pack my stuff and get on the road.

Go see Slumdog Millionaire!

Dirty Girl Scouts

(L to R: Elyse, Mark, Meg, Me, Meg, Elaina)

Today is my good friend Elaina's 21st birthday!  Last night we went out to the bar to celebrate with a bunch of her friends from home.  We had so much fun - and since they wouldn't let Elaina actually drink until midnight, we all ordered a birthday shot.  We got a "Dirty Girl Scout" which tastes like a Thin Mint cookie.  (In honor of our summer job) It was so good!  The rest of the night was great, I hadn't been out to a bar in a long while.  After we closed down the bar, we went back to Elaina's and slept over.  

Happy Birthday, E!  Love you!

Spring Break

Spring Break started yesterday- I had an exam in the morning and a paper to turn in that I woke up early to write.  (6am early!)  The paper was on an instance of child abuse in the news -- I chose the Dani.eal Ke.lly case in Philadelphia.  People up north might remember hearing all about it back in 06 and 07, because the 14 year old girl with Cerebral Palsy died not only from her mother's neglect, but because the state failed her as well.  Philly's DHS was found guilty of not actually keeping up with her case, forging paperwork, and eventually there was a shake down and many high level DHS employees were fired or forced to resign.  

Anyway- After I turned in that paper and took the exam, I went home and did laundry, packed myself up, we packed the car, and we left Greensboro about 2pm.  It was a long, long drive.  Somehow it just felt longer than normal, but we arrived in New Jersey around 11pm, chatted with Em's mom, had a snack, and went to bed.

Today, Mr. G. is taking us flying.  We're flying over to Lancaster,PA for lunch.  I don't have my camera with me because I left it at a friend's house, and didn't realize it until yesterday morning, and by then, my friend was already at work.  I was so mad at myself!  Oh well.

We're spending Saturday through Tuesday here in Chatham, and then Wednesday to Saturday in Wilmington.  I'm just so happy to have nothing to worry about with school!

It's like that dream...

It's like that dream.  You know, the one everyone always talks about, where you get up in front of the class, and all of the sudden you realize you're naked.  Well... that was my reality today!

Today was my first day at my new job - nude modeling for the art department.  All day, I was a little nervous.  Not about being naked in front of a class full of students, but more just nervous about the posing.  I had been practicing some at home with my roomies while watching TV (clothed, of course).  But, could I really come up with 10 different poses, 30 seconds apart?  Would I end up inadvertently and completely accidentally posing like some sort of adult film star?  Would I, in a hurry, pose in some weird way that I could hold for 10 seconds and then not possibly be able to continue with?  These thoughts ran through my mind all morning, and by lunchtime, I was almost sick to my stomach with nerves.

I got to the art building early and hung out in the bathroom, hiding from students who might be wandering the halls.  I didn't want to start up a conversation with anyone and then have them realize they would be seeing me completely sans-clothing within the next half hour.  Once I felt it was finally safe to head to the classroom, I walked in and introduced myself to the professor.  He was really nice and very appreciative that I could fill in.  (Today wasn't supposed to be my first day, but someone called out so I was called in on late notice.  I figured I may as well get a taste of what I'll be doing twice a week from the end of March until early May).  I went back to the bathroom, changed into my blue terry cloth bathrobe, slipped on my slippers, and immediately started to sweat.  I took a few deep breaths and walked back to the classroom.  Students were setting up their huge easels in a big circle around a wooden platform with a purple rug on it.  The professor started up class and talked about a few things and then asked me to come to the platform.  

I walked over... and he told me that for my first pose, I'd be slouched in a chair on the platform.  He modeled it once for me, and told me to copy.  He said I could sit on my robe (I guess so that there aren't a bunch of naked people sitting on the same chair).  And then, the moment came.  I had tried not to build it up in my mind, but it felt momentous.  

I untied my robe, slipped it off, and stepped up on the platform.  I folded my robe neatly, sat on it, and slouched in the chair the way the professor had done just 30 seconds earlier.  At the same moment that I felt a cool breeze flow over my body, the professor switched on a small space heater that I hadn't even noticed, next to the platform.  He told me that I'd be holding the pose for 20 minutes, and then we were off.  People immediately began swishing their pencils over their large notebooks of paper (like freezer-sized pieces of paper).  I picked a spot to stare at (a large flower on a girl's purse).  I barely felt vulnerable, and as each student stared at my body, I didn't even feel like they were looking at me as a person.  It felt like they were looking at me as a group of shapes, a collection of lines and shadows.  

After 20 minutes, I was allowed to get up, put on my robe and stretch and walk around.  I tried to discreetly glance at peoples' drawings, but they didn't look like much more than an outline of a body.  After a 10 minute break, we were back and then I sat for 40 minutes.  About 30 minutes into that session, my right shoulder blade began to ache.  I tried not to think about it.  I stared at that same flower-print purse and tried to distract myself.  I thought about everything from my Spring Breaks plans to the research paper I have to begin writing this week.  My shoulder blade began to burn, and even the tiniest shift felt like heaven to my aching body.  I knew I couldn't move very much, so I began breathing deeply.  I think the professor could tell that I had tensed up, so he asked if I was alright.  I told him that my shoulder was killing me, so he said "Okay, no problem. Just sit up, shake it out, and then get back in position."  Easy as that!  So, I followed his instructions and was able to finish the session without any issue at all.

After that pose, I got a longer break, so I walked around and checked out some of the drawings.  To my surprise, they were beautiful!  In my opinion, they didn't look anything like my body!  Who was that skinny person with an average sized looking chest?  It couldn't be me!  

I did one more pose, this time for 40 minutes straight.  It was lying down, and was pretty much a piece of cake.  I stared at the ceiling and relaxed.  I heard some funny comments from the professor, including "You're giving her a Frankenstein arm on such a petite body."  and "What did you DO to her right breast?" and "Um... you made her head look like a lollipop.  Fix that!"  

Before I knew it, that pose was finished, and I slipped into my robe while he spoke to the class about their assignments.  He dismissed them, and I went to the bathroom and changed back into my jeans and sweater.  I went back to the room to get my bags and coat, and the prof. thanked me profusely and even congratulated me on being so good at holding the poses and not complaining!  

That was totally the easiest 40 dollars I have EVER made!!  And I am no longer nervous at all.  I feel empowered and I feel like I did something totally outside of my comfort zone, and I love that!!

LTLYM #47

Assignment #47. Write a letter to a former teacher thanking them for teaching you something.

I e-mailed my 8th grade Language Arts teacher last week, thanking her for teaching me something a little unconventional. She really did something very kind for me, and I never, ever forgot it. I never thanked her, so I was excited to show that kindness back to her. This is the response I got today.

Hi Kristen, Yep! You have the right Mrs. G-------. Thank you so much for writing to me. Sometimes as teachers we wonder why we give so much when it seems like kids could care less if they learn something or not. Your letter means more to me than you can ever know. I have read it about 5 times now. (The first time I cried) I have sent it to my daughter who now teaches high school and I have also sent it to some of my friends. Everyone has said WOW! This is why we teach! I want to have the letter framed and put in my office (I am now an assistant principal at a high school) so when I need a little hug I can read your letter again. Thank you again for writing to me. Congratulations on your achievements and enjoy your senior year in college. Those years are to be cherished as life is never the same once you graduate! You sound like you have grown up to be one pretty special lady. P.S. Were you the short little girl with blonde hair? LOL I'm getting old and can hardly remember yesterday! I have to find my H---- yearbooks so I can put a face with a name.

LTLYM #14

LTLYM #14: Write Your Life Story In Less than 24 Hours.

Just a heads up- this is LONG!  But, I did it, so whether or not you read it, it's a task accomplished.  :-)

I was born at exactly 5pm on April 17, 1987. My dad chose the name Kristen and my mom chose my middle name: Nicole. I was born at Eas.ton Memorial in Maryland, and lived in Chestertown, MD until I was almost two. My entire family lived there, so I saw them often.

(I love this photo, because it's very telling about my parents. And because my mom looks so pretty to me)

Then we moved to Wilmington and lived in a townhouse right near the border of DE and Pennsylvania. When I was 2 years and 3 months old, my little sister, Kelsey was born. I went to a daycare called Kinder.care, where I made a lot of friends and my sister joined me when she was old enough. I ended up attending kindergarten there, which was great because there were only six children in my class and I received a lot of one-on-one attention. I have specific memories of this place that include: a St. Patrick's Day party that included all foods that were green, and I tried Kiwi for the first time, My first fire drill and the effect it had on me, my mom sending me there with some compacts that were pretty much empty and a few chapsticks, but all the other girls thought it was soooo cool that my mom let me bring "make up" to school.

I had my first experience with death/loss while at Kinder.care as well. My sister made a best friend there, B, and we became very close with their family. We remain close family friends today, and Kelsey and I grew up having playdates with them. When I was six years old, B's younger sister, L, passed away in a tragic boating accident. I remember very, very clearly my mom sitting Kelsey and I down and explaining it to us. It really affected me, I think because the first person that I ever knew who died was a child near my own age, instead of an old person. I also remember how one day soon after that, we had all substitutes in, so that all of the staff could attend L's services.

I graduated Kindergarten and went to a public elementary school for 1-3 grade. I missed exactly one day of school during that time, and it was to attend the services for my great-grandmother. The summer after first grade, we moved to a house in a neighborhood. My best friend lived down the street from me, and I was intensely content with my life. My school was in my neighborhood, so I walked there. For 4-6 grade I went to a secondary elementary school that was a bus ride away, so I began taking the bus with Mr. Roman - the best bus driver ever. I enjoyed my time at that school, but that elementary school had more children than my high school did, so I often felt lost there. Specific memories: In 4th grade, I won the class Spelling Bee, Geography Bee, and Math Bee. The "Math Bee" was actually just a big competition for the game "Math 24". I won the class competition, and then tied for first in the school competition. So, my classmate and I went to University of Delaware for the state-wide competition and placed 14th. PS. I HATE Math, but love this game!

I moved onto middle school, where I acquired a new group of friends, since the feeder pattern for my school district sent my old friends to a different middle school. I was very happy at this new school.  I loved my teachers, my friends, and I got decent grades.  Overall, my experience at HMS was positive.  I first started playing field hockey there, and I wasn't great (I never was that great at hockey...lacrosse was always more my thing).

At the end of my 8th grade year, my parents let us know that they would be getting a divorce. Actually, my mom let us know that she would be leaving my dad.  I could write a novel, but I'll leave it with just that.  We moved into a new house, new neighborhood, but I was happier and so was my mom, so all was well.  

High school was an interesting ride.  Bullets may be easier:

• Freshman year was uneventful.  On my third day of high school, 9/11 happened, which affected me greatly.  I discovered Lacrosse and fell in love.  I dressed for varsity in one game, and from that moment on, I never wanted to play anything else.
• Sophomore year I really found my "place" and loved my group of friends.  I became very close with some of the guys in our group of friends, and loved hanging out with them!  I'd never been good friends with guys before.  I loved my Biology class that year- Me, Meredith, Elise, and Mary had it together and we all sat together.  I felt so accepted.  I played varsity Lacrosse that year, got my driver's license, got "Greeon the Neon" (my car) which my friend Stevie named.  
• Junior year was really rough.  They say that bad things happen in threes... and that year, The Unbloggable happened, Liam was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, and I blew out my knee playing lacrosse.  That's about all that I remember from Junior year.  One good thing did happen - the summer after Jr. year, I made Jr. Staff at PACAA, which was a very big accomplishment for me.
• Senior year was much better- I finished up with Physical Therapy and felt very good about my knee.  I was able to play lacrosse, was chosen first team All State and was also chosen to play in the Senior All Star Game for the state of DE.  I got into all of the universities I applied to, and chose my favorite of the 5.  Liam went into remission, I had a great graduation and grad party, wonderful senior week, and great last summer before college.

I got to college my freshman year, loved my roommate, joined rugby, fell in love with the sport and the people, and never thought again about playing another sport.  I became a Zulu Warrior (look it up), and had a great first semester.  Liam passed away in November, and that kick-started a bit of a rough period for me.  That spring, I captained our Relay for Life time, and we raised more money than anyone else at the relay!  Our team name was "Legs for Liam".  I got my first job- at a restaurant, and worked and lived in North Carolina all summer.  

My sophomore year I adopted my dog Sydney, met Em, and we began dating in October.  I became a captain of my rugby team, and did well in my classes.  My mom moved into an apartment, which was a big deal for us.  Em and I took a great trip to Florida for Spring Break. In May, my family took a trip to Idaho and Yellowstone, and it was one of the most memorable times of my life.  That summer, I had a fantastic time working at a camp for 8 weeks.  I made some of my best friends there, and I miss it a lot. 

Junior year wasn't very excited.  Em and I moved into a house with our friend, Liz.  I switched majors, and became a Child and Adolescent Development major.  I continued to be a captain, and got my nose shattered in a rugby game and had to get reconstructive surgery.  Em and I took a trip to the Keys for Spring Break, and then in May my mom started feeling pretty sick, so I went home for the summer.

Senior year began, except that it didn't really begin.  I attended PACAA, and the night we returned, my mom shared the news with us that she had been diagnosed with cancer- Renal Cell Carcinoma.  I made the decision to take a semester off, which I do not regret.  I spent 5 wonderful months with my mom, helping to take care of her when she had a very invasive surgery, and spending quality time just hanging out with her.  This semester, I returned to school, got back to rugby and my life. 

That's pretty much it!  I'm sure I forgot to mention some key items, but this was looong!!

Saturday's a Rugby Day

Thing #492 I learned in College: Don't try to carry a keg.  Even if you try it and can physically do it, and at the time it seems perfectly logical, since you are physically able to lift it to whatever tub it's going into... don't do it!  The next morning your wrists will feel as though someone has run over them on a bike.

Yesterdays game went really well- we beat Guilford College, which is always good because they're our big rivals (at least for rugby).  It poured all day long, and our game was muddy and fun.  Afterwards, we enjoyed a great social with the other three teams (Wake Forest, Duke, and Guilford).  The Duke girls are awesome, and we always have fun socialing with them.  I'm actually becoming pretty good friends with a few of those girls, and it stinks that we live an hour apart!

After being close to hypothermia yesterday (not really) and soaking wet and freezing, today I took a long bath and put on nice warm comfy clothes.  I love lazy Sundays.