Impressions

So, this is the end of my first week of classes, although it’s only Thursday night.

I love it. It’s hard – sometimes I’m not sure how I’ll be able to get everything done throughout the semester, especially after I start my extra currics (which we have to pick in the next week or two – I’m thinking the International Law Journal and the East Bay Community Outreach Program – doing benefits work like at UJC – or the Employment and Labor Law Journal and Clinic). It takes about two hours of homework for every one hour of class, which comes out to about 10/12 hours a day.
But I love it. I love the challenge, it’s exactly what suits me – a good combination of theoretical and practical. My classmates are intelligent and hardworking and I think it will keep me competitive – in a good way.

So far, though, still no buddies. There are a couple of people I’d like to talk with more, but I am awkward at starting conversations… I get nervous and don’t listen to what people say, and then I respond with something weird. But I think that will come with time, so I’m not so worried. Plus I have Sandi and Vlad (who is back in town – he was in Thailand when I got here), and they are more than a handful themselves.

My room has books, but no bookshelves!! Staples has failed me. I was supposed to have my books delivered a week ago, but the UPS person they have on duty is an idiot, and I’ve been in class or working during the day and haven’t had a chance to call…

Raskolnikov is coming today! I am leaving now to pick him up from the airport. I am super excited – also, this first month (it’s been 30 days) has made me more confident that we can make it through three years like this.

Berkeley is an incredible town. It's great having Akira, here, too - it's kept me from being super lonely and homesick, but I think even without her I would be happy here. Berkeley has made a great impression on me so far. Last night, we went to a slam that we awesome! And close to my house, so I think I will be a frequent visitor. I've decided to limit my 'fun' - no restaurants, no new books, no movies... but I think slam will have to be allowed.

Anticipating

I've had the most wondeful time in Alabama, full of relaxing and being cared for by my family. I have also been getting very nervous and stressed about moving out west. Especially about money, because I have debts to pay and so living this semester is going to be very tight.

But really, this summer has been incredible. I have loved having all this time to get closer with my family, and every day has been pretty awesome. Today, for example, my family and I went to a park and played croquet (which is actually way awesome, and I came in second place!), and then went for milkshakes and lemonade. At dinner, my cousins were inspired to recite poetry, and so we all went around the table reciting poems from memory and reading from books. Poetry is actually a big family tradition for us - my grandfather made a book of collections of poems that were frequently recited at family events. My grandfather always read Annabel Lee, and he and my mom would recite and act out Casey At the Bat. Kids were usually stuck with Robert Frost poems. I remember getting to read all of The Raven at dinner once, although my grandfather kept interrupting me to give me tips on how to read it.

And so now I am also inspired to share some of the anthologized recitations from dinner. Here's one I'm going to re-read often, in the coming months:

Homework! Oh, homework!
I hate you! You stink!
I wish I could wash you
away in the sink,
if only a bomb
would explode you to bits.
Homework! Oh, homework!
You're giving me fits.

I'd rather take baths
with a man-eating shark,
or wrestle a lion
alone in the dark,
eat spinach and liver,
pet ten porcupines,
than tackle the homework
my teacher assigns.

Homework! Oh, homework!
You're last on my list,
I simply can't see
why you even exist,
if you jsut disappeared
it would tickle me pink.
Homework! Oh, homework!
I hate you! You stink!
-Jack Prelutsky


This has long been a favorite of mine:

I saw a man pursuing the horizon;
Round and round they sped.
I was disturbed at this;
I accosted the man.
"It is futile," I said,
"You can never-"

"You lie," he cried,
And ran on.
-stephan crane

This one Anna liked a lot:

Do you carrot all for me?
My heart beets for you,
With your turnip nose
And your radish face,
You are a peach.
If we cantaloupe,
Lettuce marry;
Weed make a swell pear.

And this one I liked a lot (I want to get a collection of her poems):

I will be the gladdest thing
Under the sun!
I will touch a hundred flowers
and not pick one.

I will look at cliffs and clouds
with quiet eyes,
Watch the wind bow down the grass,
and the grass rise.

And when the lights begin to show
up from the town,
I will mark which must be mine,
and then start down!
-edna st. vincent millay

There were a lot more (I read from Dover Beach, which is one of my favorite poems at the moment), but this is enough, for now.

Will You Be My Neighbor?

So, Mister Rogers is being taken off of PBS for good. I always loved that show as a child, and have found Mister Rogers to be an inspiring figure as I've learned more about him. Here he is delivering a speech about the importance of PBS and shows like his teaching children the right kind of values. (from jezebel)