Exciting News and Worthwhile Happennings

I decided, that the last two and a half months haven't really been that completely dull. There have been a couple shining moments indeed.

Working backwards chronologically:

.05 Bad Stephanie.
-Today I was supposed to be in Richmond for field trip. I couldn't go due because I couldn't get off work. The only problem is that I already said I was going to Richmond. Problem #1: I forgot to call the professor doing the trip to tell him I wasn't going. Does that make me look bad or what?! I feel like a total db. He called me earlier this morning, saying that they 'missed me on the first protion of the trip, but hope to see me at the second'. Wow, steph, wow. Way to mess that up. Worst part? The professor organizing the field trip: same professor that is doing the below trip. Talk about a good impression.

1. Riva San Vitale, Switzerland.
-VT has a competitive Architecture study abroad program in Riva, in southern switzerland. They take 15 people to stay in Virginia Tech's casa, and study for a semester. This year, 50 some people signed up for the Fall 2009 trip. Good news? I'll be in Riva San Vitale for the fall semester of 2009!!
-Due to this chapter of my life that will begin in the fall- I have every intention of doing a spin-off blog that will document my travels in Riva. Pictures, Anecdotes, Project progress- hopefully I'll be able to create a little window for all of you, my family and friends, to keep up with my travels and antics. Go, Travelblog, Go!

2. TMA!!
-Over Christmat break I got to go to an Emery/ Hawethorn heights concert. The reason I went? My favorite band was opening for them: The Mile After.

Unfortunately- Bleighton, Phoebe and I missed their whole set, because they played FIRST (aka. Before the concert even officially started) It was the biggest letdown ever. We didn't even get a picture with the whole band as usual. That was beacause they were all spread out, and Phoebe and Bleighton didn't want to wait for them- we were tired. Fortunately- we found an awesome all night diner and proceeded to have illegal amounts of fun. Check out TMA and see pictures below. with Jim and Chase from The Mile After

Me and Phoebe at the Diner

Error: Nonexistant

November did not exist.

I guess I've been a little more than M.I.A. for most of October and all of November (not to mention the beginning of December?) So I stink. Royally, for neglecting my online journal.
I think because this blog is about my life, but only vaguely- that my life just got so boring that I forgot to write anything.

To recap the missing segments: Studio. Thanksgiving. Studio

That's basically all I did. Thanksgiving break was wonderful this year- I got to spend a ton of time with my family- despite one hiccup in the perfection that was my life that week (we'll call it: Incident at Bleighton's) Thanksgiving was a relaxing bonding time that was absolutely fabulous.
After that- right back to studio, and our Third year Competition.

Competition consumed the whole first portion of December, it's an 8 day competition between all of the 3rd year architecture kids. It's pretty intense, and rendered me basically invisible to my roommate for the duration. We've just begun seeing each other again.

The good news it that it's all over now, and my last exam is on thursday, and it's Theater- so I'm not too worried- to be honest I don't even think I will study for it!
That leaves 4 days of freedom in Blacksburg... possibilities.

But Audiobooks are for Losers.

One Word: Audiobooks.

This word has rocked my world.
Being an avid reader, I have always brushed off audiobooks and looked down on them as a cop out for actually reading a book. Thus, I never even considered audiobooks in my small sphere of existence. In fact, I'm sure at one point I was quite literally thinking, "Audiobooks are for losers."

A couple weeks ago, my studio-mate introduced me to them anew. It was Pride & Prejudice that broke me. She lent it to me via flashdrive, as I was complaining, "I just want to read!" during studio time. Alas, I had work to get done and there was no time for reading.
Now, I've read Pride & Prejudice numerous times--Yes, the actual text--and it's one of my favorites. So while working on my library design (Ironic, no?) I got to listen while someone read me one of my favorite books. I was double duty at that point, but not quite sold-- I mean, I already knew P&P, and had already read it. Would listening to a new book be the same as reading it?

My studio-mate, an avid fan of audiobooks, lent me another; it was Eldest the sequel to Eragon by Christopher Paolini. So I listened. I listened in studio during endless hours of work. I listened during my long walks across campus, and the long walks to my car. I listened at home while making, then eating my lunch. I listened on the drive home to visit my family over the weekend. I listened on the way back so I wouldn't fall asleep.
Today, I finished. I can now say, as I download Brisingr (the third in The Inheritance series) that I'm sold. I officially love audiobooks.

I still love to read- but it's a time dedicated past time, you can't really do anything else while you're reading (with the exception of eating). I love to read, but I don't have the time. Now, though, now I can fill my head with literature every other moment. I can immerse myself in the world of Fiction. My head is filled with turning pages.
When I think about it. Literature (books) have taken over almost every aspect of my life at the moment. Is is it a sign? Multiple signs? Should I switch majors and just write?
I work at a Library. In studio, we're designing a library. I now listen to Audiobooks. I have lots of assigned reading to do. I'm trying to write a story. I blog about my life.

Words. Literature. Fiction.

This world is a crazy place. But at least we have people's dreams written on paper- we can lose ourselves and leave this world that we've plagued with our problems and melt into a world that someone has created for us- where the conflicts of good vs. evil and antagonist vs. protagonist rage on and consume our thoughts and consciousness.
I'll take it. In fact, I find myself constantly and fervently wishing that I could somehow fall into my own fiction, where magic abounds-- and there is a world to save.
It brings me to a thought, or a question rather.
"If faced with the decision of all our Heroes and Heroines, to leave and embark on an adventure that just might cost your life, would you leave everything behind and cross over into a while other world? A new reality?"
This is one of my favorite questions for people. I'll often pull it out while we're hiking and talking, or during a game of Questions.

Given the chance-- would you leave your family and everything you love to change the world? It's often the hardest decision our Heroes make in literature. It's easy to say yes, but really- would you? The answer to this says a lot about who you are, what you believe in, and (if you answer honestly) what you really want in life.

Somedays I wonder, if plunged into a world of magic and fiction- would I come back? If I did, would I be able to stand a normal world?

Cut to Me standing in an empty parking lot with strains of Augustana's "Boston" playing.

Maybe someone would write my story. To put it poetically/cliché I guess in a way, we all write our own stories. Which could be exciting if you live in a narrative kind of way. Though I must admit, I'd fall asleep listening to my audiobook...

Generation "What the Hell"

Recently, I caught myself using the phrase "What the Hell" and I want to start off by looking at this phrase.First of all, it's so flexible. It can be used as an exclamation, i.e. "What the Hell! That car almost hit me!" It can also be used as a question, "What the hell are you doing?" It can also be used in exasperation, "What the hellll. We have 50 structures problems to do."
Second, the first word is interchangeable, so that the phrase can be fitted out for any situation. For example: "Why the Hell (would you do that)?" "Who the Hell (are you)?" "Where the Hell (are we going)?" See? Quite versatile.
Upon examining this phenomenon of a phrase, I came to a small realization: This is what our generation does. We take common phrases, twist them to the point where they don't make sense, and then proceed to use them so much that they begin to make sense in our common language. We create phrases and words. We even shorten words and use those abbreviations as words. (um, that's def. so presh. but her bf is too hot for that slore. Translation: That is definitely precious, but her boyfriend is too attractive for her. She is a slut and a whore.)

I think this works so well because we are very much a "fad" generation. This is my observation- we can make anything into a fad, and have been doing so since early years. Let's take a look through time: Easy Bake Oven, Furbys, Gameboys, Xmen, Backstreet Boys, N64, Xbox, iPods, Harry Potter, iPhones, Twighlight, Jonas Brothers, and TVdrama (Gossip Girl etc.). Just to name a few.
Now, I know exactly what you're thinking: "Every generation has their fads." Yes. I would whole heartedly agree, and I would even argue it ties into human nature- but we take it to a whole nother level. For the sake of using a ubiqitous example, take Harry Potter. Starts out as a book, our generation catches on- next thing you know: explosion. Harry Potter went from book to obsession to movie. "So what," you say, " that doesn't prove anything- look at Lord of The Rings" Well, Look at the time period. The world loved Harry- had to have him so very quickly he became not just a character in a book, but an international figure and a movie star. It's the timeframe that's spectacular. Lord of the Rings was written in 1955. The movies came out in 2001-2003. That's quite a time span. Need another example? One word: iPod.

We are Generation M: really called, "The Millennial Generation" Defined by wikipedia as : the Google Generation, the Myspace Generation, the MyPod Generation, the iGeneration, the "connected" generation, and the Neo-Disney Generation.

Conclusion: we push things. Our generation is all about stuff; it's all about what everyone else has- it's how we have fun, it's how we bond: we all collectively love something so much that it becomes an obsession. A collective obsession. It's how we move our culture now: obsession.

Maybe it's just because I am a part of our generation that it seems so much more obsessive than others. Maybe back then, in eras like the 60s and 70s, fads were just as bad. Sure everyone had Mod stuff, everyone had go-go boots- just like, sure, everyone has uggs; but I honestly believe that we've really taken it to a new level- instead of just having it, instead of just being fads, we've turned them into obsessions. There's really no other way of putting it.

With all that said, I will readily admit to loving all of the aforementioned obsessions. After all- I am so def my generation.