Thursday, March 27, 2008

yee-haw!



Originally uploaded by starchmouse.
This was my lunch last Friday - mmmmm. It doesn't even show the delicious basket of hush puppies, which had to come on the side because it didn't fit on the plate. It is amazing I didn't come back 10 pounds heavier, what with all the eating (barbeque, fried okra, chili frito pie, quesadillas at 3am) and lack of physical exertion ("toobing" down the river was probably the most exercise I got in the last few weeks) but I can't wait to have an excuse to go back to Texas.

The reason I was in Texas is because a very dear college roommate of mine has decided to up and get married. Married! So we subjected her to all manner of embarrasing tasks and the fine folks of San Marcos were so obliging. It is crazy to think of my friends growing up and getting married, but I should remind myself it has been many years since we have graduated, and even though I am in the exact same place I have been in since we all first left, my friends have all gotten themselves jobs and bought houses and whatnot. But the exciting news is that I just talked to my boss and he gave me the thesis green light - I'm done experimenting and now I can write. This freaks me out, but I just have to remember that the sooner I hunker down, the sooner I can start life in the real world - yay job! Yay living by myself because I can afford to!

Or maybe I'll just put my laptop away and hide somewhere.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

peep peep!



Originally uploaded by starchmouse.
So it has been awhile. Not much to say about that, except that school has really been giving me a few more white hairs, and since I have black hair and I'm not even frickin' thirty that sucks. Hopefully that should be over soon - I'm typing this post on my shiny new MacBook, which means I am ready to start *the thesis* but knowing my god-awful work situation, who knows? I could be here for another three years.

At the beginning of March, my family went on a trip to Munich (one day, and it was a Sunday), Florence, and Rome. I am now completely ruined as far as espresso and pasta. Why can't restaurants here make it truly al dente? And in a weak moment yesterday trying to overcome jet lag I ordered an americano from Peet's. Shame on me. I thought maybe at least Peet's would get it right (Starbucks is abysmal) and even with two shots of espresso they added way too much water so it was a watery bland mess.

In Europe everything right now is all about Easter, hence these elaborate chocolate eggs in the window of Panella, in Rome. We went inside to pick up a few snacks - thanks to the awesome exchange rate we spent a gazillion dollars on four tiny things, one of them a little tart that was six euros - or ten dollars. Ouch.

I should have more pictures and posts up soon once flickr decides to upload my pictures at a rate faster than one picture per hour - only 114 more to go!