Peabody's not-so-Improbable (Natural) History
Now Playing: "Bug," Phish
Have you ever had a job interview and been interrupted by a phone call saying your interviewer's house alarm went off and the police have arrived? Neither had I until this afternoon. I went to the Peabody to talk about volunteer opportunities with the director and she had to go home all of a sudden because her house had apparently been broken into! She was oddly cheery about it. We were virtually done with the interview, so it was okay.

But aside from the conversation's wierd conclusion, it was productive. To spare you the details, I'm going to be volunteering at least one day a week, probably with the fossil cart talking to visitors. It's a low time-committment, fun job. Walking tours are basically booked through November, but there's no reason I couldn't do that in the future as well. I'm also helping out at some public events, beginning with the kids' giant squid event next Sunday. The whole thing is relatively relaxed and easily moldable to my own schedule. I'm so happy! This seems perfect for me.

The Schedule From Heaven
Mood:  lucky
Now Playing: Nothing. I'm in the library
Every Tuesday and Tursday I get out of Music class at 11:20. The Berkeley College Dining Hall (read: healthier, much tastier organic food) opens at 11:30. They only admit the first ten students who show up without a friend from Berkeley to host them. This means me, since Music meets about a minute away. I just finished a ham, turkey, provolone, and roasted tomato sandwich on a ciabatta roll with pesto mayo (I could have sworn I was at Atticus) and an heirloom tomato salad.

I love my life.

Why Does My Mood Icon Always Say Caffeinated? And How Is That A Mood?
Mood:  caffeinated
Yesterday my voice was tired and I felt like I might be getting sick, so I took the advice of the all-knowing Anny and got a good sleep. Anny also advised me to avoid dairy and caffeine before an audition. I broke my promise to myself and had Diet Vanilla Coke before my oral presentation today, which always enhances my ability to speak and think quickly. Isn't that amazing? It really is -- although an intense caffeine buzz combined with nervousness sometimes reminds me of final exams, which in turn increases said nervousness. I had less to regret about the coke than I thought, though, since it turns out my audition could be almost two weeks away! Apparently it's a long process.

The ceramics presentation went very well, although there was a minor fiasco into which I will not delve involving printing the accompanying paper. With any luck, it will all be fine. I have another presentation tomorrow, which means more little coffee cups at the top of the screen. Yay for stimulants.

My Lit professor is hilarious. Here is an example from seminar today:"I must protest about your denegration of [Sherlock] Holmes' erotic nature." That is a quality quotation right there. Qual-it-y.

Rejected and neglected, yet entirely unaffected
I did not get into the Center for British Art, but Kate did! Yay! That actually makes me even happier. The Peabody is mine. I knew she got in as soon as I saw my rejection email. I am starting to truly believe I have minor psychic powers.

Is third time the charm? Anny says I get first dibs on audition times for TUIB because she's making the schedule. Pray pray pray!

Jedi Training
I had my first Tai Chi class today! It was great. I know some people in the class, which was relatively large. The instructor was a man around 60 who proclaimed himself "better than the books." Well, I should hope so. I feel so good and relaxed now. We learned a few basic postures and did some partner work in an excersize called "Push Hands," which isn't excatly what it sounds like. My quads and arms will be quite strong by the time this is over, I'm guessing.

Monday Monday (fa la, fa la la la)
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique, V, Dream Of A Sabbath Night
Reading Sherlock Holmes stories for Lit reminds me of how much I loved "The Great Mouse Detective" as a kid. I really want to watch that right now. Man, I love that movie!

One thing I love about classical music is that I can actually listen to it while I'm working. Words distract me so much, but a good quick symphonic piece actually helps me think.

I'm pleasantly addicted to Payne-Whitney Gym. This is fortunate because I'm also pleasantly addicted to dining hall desserts. So it goes.

As I get deeper into work, my blog suffers considerably. Apologies to all five of you. I think it needs some more pictures.

Helplessly Hoping
Mood:  crushed out
I love TUIB. They make me so happy. They had a concert with the Womens' Slavic Chorus tonight at which we could sign up for auditions. I signed up. I actually considered auditioning for the Slavs as well, because they are amazing, and contain the wonderful Tasha. I don't think I would actually want to be one of them though; I just love listening to them. The concert was fun, but the groups really aren't as powerful before they get their new members. All seven suitemates (besides Anny, who's in TUIB) sat front and center. I felt so cool. I wish I played a TUIB instrument. I still haven't decided on what I'll sing in the event of a callback. I really need to not think about this.

I finished reading the 600-page book for Foundations. It was a quite productive weekend.

Friday night we went to see "As You Like It" performed by a fantastic company from Cambridge. Orlando was gorgeous.

My blog entries are becoming less and less interesting to anyone but myself. Might as well be a Livejournal.

Saturday already?
Tonight Anny's dad is taking us all out to Scuzzi. Yay! When you make a reservation for nine, they're always really friendly to you over the phone. My interview for the YCBA didn't go as well as I had hoped, but I'm no longer concerned that I won't have enough to do this term. I'll find out results Tuesday. I feel sort of like Carrie from "Sex and the City" right now. Mabe because she's the only person I know who can look cute and stylish (like I do now) while typing mindlessly on the computer. Today was nowhere near as productive as I had hoped it would be. It's been nice, though.

The truth is out there...
Today I learned that I actually believe there is such a thing as the truth. More surprising to me was that some people (namely, my roommate) do not. I have yet to figure out what the implications of this are.

Anticipating the crunch Part 2
Mood:  chillin'
I got my schedule signed today and chatted with my academic adviser about goals and majors and things. Apparently he had a horrible summer in Africa -- he got sick and all the vehicles kept breaking down -- but he found two new species of prehistoric ape including the smallest ape ever. He liked my courses and basically said that it doesn't matter whether I major in archeology ar anthropology. In fact, he originally got a geology degree and here he is, in charge of the anthro department at Yale. Life is very long, and especially in disciplines that are closely related, a broad education can't hurt. This was good to hear.

So about those archeology classes -- it turns out that I have to do a report on Wednesday for Ceramics and one on Thursday for Foundations! Ceramics is more reasonable; it's on an article, whereas Foundations is on a whole book! Whhhhaaaaaaaaatt......? Good news=it's all fun stuff to read. Bad news=GAAAAAAAAAAAgonnadie. At least this weekend's pretty free and I'm accidentally ahead in Music homework.

Why do I bother to write how far ahead in my homework I am? Who actually cares? Not one of the five people who read this.

Why am I applying for new activities? Oh, right, because I'm a psycho.

Believe it or not, this is a great day. Bluest sky ever.