Serendipity

Distraction from Finals...aka

2006-12-13T14:38:00.000-08:00

THE CHRISTMAS SURVEY

I've been tagged! Here it is, thanks for the break from studying!

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate?
Hot Chocolate! Especially with honey, vanilla and cinnamon, it's the perfect drink to curl up with a good book and a blanket in front of the fire!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
They are always wrapped, and there's usually at least one in a trashbag with a big bow on it.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
I don't remember anything other than colored lights. The tree lights used to twinkle but they don't anymore.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No, but we do hang christmas cards.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
They're spread out over the whole month. One weekend it's the lights and the garlands, then the stockings and the nativity scenes, the wreaths and special figurines. The tree is always last.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Borscht. I used to hate it but now I look forward to it every year.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
One night I had a bad dream so I went downstairs and I sat under the christmas tree. We always leave it lit up at night and sitting underneath it with all the ornaments we had made, all the memories and the soft lights, you could feel the joy radiating from the tree. It made me feel better, and I went back to bed with a smile on my face.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
One of my friends told me, and after that I realized she was right.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
No, we used to when we were little.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree
Lights, ornaments, garlands, Candy canes, icicles and the topper, which sometimes is broken.

11. Snow? Love it or Dread it?
Love love love love!

12. Can you ice skate?
Yes. Also love that.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
That's a toughy. I don't really have a favorite because they all end up coming in handy. One that sticks out in my mind was when Mom gave me and Mary each a set of three books. Mary wasn't happy at all, so I got to read them instead!

14. What's the most exciting thing about the Holidays for you?
Going home and seeing my whole family! Snowboarding!

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Fudge, ribbon candy, peanut butter kisses cookies, gingerbread

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
The Polish Christmas Eve Dinner, Vigilia.

17. What tops your tree?
An angel. Unless she broke again... (?) Sometimes our tree is too tall to have an actual topper.

18. Which do you prefer - giving or receiving?
Giving, I always feel good when someone takes pleasure in something that I thought they would.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
The little Christmas Tree song that my sisters sing, O Holy Night.

20. Candy canes?
Yes!

Reflections over the semester.

2006-12-05T12:58:00.000-08:00

My apologies for not posting in awhile, Latin is proving a bit of a challenge recently and Philosophy isn't much better.

Speaking of which, I have a major test tomorrow in Latin, kind of like an exam but - well, not. Please keep me in your prayers tomorrow afternoon.

We had our last Philosophy class today, our last Lab class tomorrow and our last Theology and Math classes on Thursday. It's all winding down to a close.

I can't believe I've only been out here for a few months. I've learned so much about...alot of stuff, especially Aristotle and the ancients. It's amazing the things they've come up with without modern technology or computers. You're so taken in by their arguments that even I thought that the stomach was something different than it actually is. whew.

I feel closer to God and I'm more secure in my religion, especially how it fits into my life as a whole instead of parts of it. I feel like I've aged considerably, but I've only been here for four months. The breakthroughs come every day, and there's always a Eureka! moment somewhere. It makes learning extremely enjoyable.

I had a talk with Kaitlin last night, about what we were doing here, and we both agreed that it was the best place for us to be. We truly belong here. Furthermore, we belong here, together. We played such an important role in each other's lives two summers ago, our influence survived senior year of high school. We're still going strong. You may send our anniversary gifts via FedEx, "To Kaitlin and Katy, celebrating four months of bliss."

Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers, I love you, and I can't wait to see you in two weeks.

xoxoxo

Happiness

2006-11-21T21:30:00.001-08:00

I got my Seminar paper back and I got a "B" for my argument and a "B" for the composition of the paper. Thanks so much for all the prayers, I'm really happy! On top of that, my Kris Kringle left roses in my room, hurray! Traveling north tomorrow for Thanksgiving, happy Turkey Day all, see you soon.

Love,
Kt

Here Comes the Shrew

2006-10-17T13:14:00.000-07:00

I'm Katharina,

Extremely nervous and somewhat psyched out of my mind.

Doubts are everywhere.

whoa.

Pacing the boards

2006-10-17T10:56:00.000-07:00

I'm out of minutes on my cell and my phone card went kaput, so this is it.

I don't know yet what the cast is, here's the rundown of what happened.

I was put in a scene where I played a servant and I did ok, not too well though I kind of rushed my lines. Then they put me in the Katharina/Petruchio scene with Dennis (my mentor)and we made it physical and it went really well. After that I did a Katharina/Bianca scene with Daina, a sophomore who lives across the hall. She was amazing and I felt really inferior and really bad about my performance. I did the Katharina/Petruchio scene again, this time with another freshman who basically upstaged both of us the whole time and freaked me out. Katharina became a scared puppy in that scene. They told me to underplay the physical bit anyways. After that I played another Katharina/Petruchio, this time with Pat who's a sophomore. It was a kissing scene, the one at the end...AWKWARD! I had no idea if I was going to kiss him on the cheek or not, so it became a corner. Ergh.

Yesterday they had more callbacks and last night Dennis told me he was called back for today so we aren't going to know for awhile. What scares me is they've only had me read Katharina so if I didn't nail it, they haven't seen me do anything else. I'm freaked out and stressed right now about it. It feels familiar.

I'm going to put more minutes on my phone sometime today, and here's a picture of my hair, last weekend. It's faded a bit and more back to normal, there's still some red though.

Tomorrow night, Jofus is taking a bunch of us up to the punchbowls and we're sleeping out, fun fun fun! Can't wait. I love you all, thanks for the thoughts and prayers!

Break a leg?

2006-10-15T18:43:00.000-07:00

I was called back for my audition for "the taming of the shrew" today and after 4 hours of grueling scene work, I'm spending this evening at a bonfire that jofus is building down at the 3rd pond! Everyone's prayers were greatly appreciated, thank you so much for your kind thoughts!

Pictures...again....and some news?

2006-10-10T13:57:00.000-07:00

Ok, more pictures here we go:

Jofus and Lauren, Jofus' hair is much shorter now but I can't sneak up on him with a camera anymore, becuase he knows me too well. Its really nice that he's here, he's like my brother!

This is Danniel, it's really dark here so you can't see very well, but she keeps me strong in my faith and when I get turned around about what I actually believe in, she's there to straighten me out. She's in my section and seminar and my dorm, so we've gotten quite close.

This is Deneys, he's really great to talk to about life in general, keeping things in perspective, plus he's funny!

Lauren with Billy, this picture isn't posed at all! (j/k) Billy went to William and Mary for a year before coming out here, he's in my section, he likes musicals and he's wicked smart!

So those are the pictures for now, I spent this weekend in San Fransisco at the Bluegrass Festival. The great thing about it was that I got to know alot of people from school that I otherwise wouldn't have. It was alot like Manitou, lotta weed, lotta hippies, kind of like coming home.
I have Don Rags on Thursday the 19th, 1:30 my time, prayers are greatly appreciated!

drumroll PICTURES!

2006-09-10T19:25:00.000-07:00

At the urging of family and friends, here are some pictures of the people who put up with me.

My roommate Kaitlin who's from Iowa, and moi.

These are the girls we hang out with alot, our "regulars," Mary-Rose and Lauren.

Jimmy and Sam who take us surfing on the weekends.

Andy who is in D.C. at CUA, and Zach, a fellow surfing student

Jack, Mary-Rose and Isaac looking very Hawaaian at a Greek Themed Dance

Paul and Matt, dashing as usual...

I have more, but my time is up, I hope these suffice for now.

TACky Update

2006-08-31T14:36:00.000-07:00

Well I'm in the middle of my second week of class and I'm starting to get into the swing of things around here. I attend daily mass, usually, and I'm keeping up with the reading in my classes which is somewhat extensive. The problem is sleep. There's so much to do both in class and out, that I go to sleep at curfew and get six hours of sleep every night. Since I'm used to eight or nine hours, that's a little problem. Today I fell asleep in the coffeeshop while I was reading Gorgias for Philosophy, so that's a small indicator. Tonight I'm shotting for 9:00 bedtime.

There are informal dances on Wednesday nights, so last night, I learned some aerial swing tricks. (I was flipped over the guys arm like a somersault) But one that I can do regularly involves landing on my knees on the guy's quad. One of my classmates and I perfected it. I've learned 4 different kinds of dips and a few more tricks so I'm pretty happy.

Tonight I have my first writing class, (I didn't pass the test, but I haven't written a paper in awhile so I'm not surprised) and tomorrow night we're going to have a jam session in the coffeeshop. Also on Friday I have my first beach volleyball game of the season, nerves nerves nerves!

Your thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated, and if you happen to go out and catch some bugs, if you can spare any, please FedEx them, as I'm going to need 25.

Safely West

2006-08-12T15:07:00.000-07:00

I'm here in California and I got here safely.

The End.

No, joking! Staying at Portia and her LH's house is a study of comfort and chaos. Comfort being the laidback, relaxation that is this weekend. Chaos being my suitcase and the space that has become my living area. (Mom, don't freak out) That should be remedied within a few hours. I'll get straight to that after I bring eveybody up to date. Staying with them on the hill is very low key, spontaneous and fun, I'm having a blast and this is my first day here. The house is small and quirky, exactly something that I myself wouldn't mind living in. Wallace the cat is adorable, pouncing this way and that and generally helping along with everything from Portia's LH laying stones for a patio to occupying the couch for his nap. The view from the yard is beautiful, a tomato crop, hills, a road and some content cows. I met some of LH's colleagues at a dinner last night, very fun people. I think I shall like California, at least the hous is lovely and we're having a grand old time. I love you all, thank you for your concerns and well wishes. I'll write more later on and I'll include some pictures as well.

hugs and kisses.

Wednesday, On

2006-07-21T16:58:00.000-07:00

Thank Goodness it's Friday!

Wednesday, Sephora and I attended a Salsa lesson / community dance in Denver. We returned home around midnight after dancing for 4 1/2 hours, I was completely exhausted. It was very very fun, everyone there was friendly and encouraging and I had a blast. Something I learned aboust Salsa; if your guy spins you somewhere, you stay there. Girls aren't allowed to move unless the guy tells you to, and it's all very close dancing. Have to work on that. Unfortunately I can't go next Wednesday as I have to work at the Restaurant - it's Student Night.

Looking forward to a few days off, I'll begin packing for school (eek!) and stocking up on much needed essentials for the next few months. The next big purchase is a digital camera from Radioshack, mucho exciting, which means I'll also be buying an extra memory card as I'm extremely forgetful.

On that front, I recently found my keychain I had been missing for a little over 2 months! It was in the pocket of my jacket, which I had been rehanging up when I heard jingling! It made my week.

Yesterday was a soggy day on the RR, lightning struck right next to the tracks and yours truly had to get out and move the rocks. Further on down the mountain, a rail was loose, so yours truly went outside again, this time with the trusty engineer and discussed the strategy of going over it. Who am I kidding? He discussed it with the other engineer, and I stood there looking thoughtful - and soaking wet. No such incidents today, although it was cloudy on top, which reduced my tour guiding skills to "It usually isn't like this, folks, it happens occasionally, this is what's called being socked in," etc etc.

Keep the fam in your prayers, Mom Dad and lil sis are out east, Sephora is hiking a 14er and Older Brother is baking potatos and marinating steaks. Unfortunately I think the potatos have come out a little on the crispy side. ;)

Scattered brains anyone?

2006-07-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

The great dilemna in my life right now is what color to dye my hair when I get to college. Isn't it terrible that there are many other more important things that I need to be worrying about when I go away to school, yet I'm plagued with one needless detail that's taking over all of my mental capabilities? (Excuse the run-on-ness) Today for example: I'm bumping along Book 9 of The Illiad "Achilleus spoke to Diomedes, breaker of horses..." "Dark brown? Just streak it? Fine weave highlights and chunks on the crown?" (The last suggestion was from the lady who cuts my hair) Not only am I totally ignoring my bedsheet needs and alarm clock batteries, I've also put off emptying my closet and packing my trunks. Ugh. Procrastination and laziness are devils. DEVILS.

I have an unexpected day off tomorrow, so I'm going to call up my faithful boy and we'll trollop off to have an adventure! If we're lucky.

Dear Nutmeg, husband and children will be here in the next two weeks, hurrah! One last luau before Sephora and I leave the nest and venture out into the great wide world.

Which reminds me, I need to stock up on chapstick.

Books and Cats

2006-07-08T06:41:00.000-07:00

Last night, Shrimp (Dear Friend who I'll miss when we depart to opposite sides of the country for college) and I tried to see the latest Pirates but it was sold out until 10pm. Since she had to work today, we drove back to Manitou to find something else to do, and ended up spending an hour or so in The Bookman. It's a used book store, so small it's overflowing with books, there are even books lining the shelving along the floor, binding up. It's a small paradise, but easy to get lost in. So we entered and Shrimp headed immediately to the sheet music section, while I perused Fantasy / Sci-Fi for any Tolkien that I hadn't read. Ultimately I made my way to fiction and spent the remainder of my hour there. I was delighted to discover that The Bookman is inhabited by two identical grey cats. They walked along the books on the floor, binding up, and twitched their tails with pleasure while we petted them. I had picked up a hardcover version of Anne of Green Gables and was reading it while this grey thing was on the floor beside me purring up a storm. In 10 years, I'd like to be in my own place, sitting in an easy chair with a thick book in my hand, Hot Chocolate on the table and a cat in my lap.

After we had played in The Bookman, Shrimp and I rented Nanny McPhee from Blockbuster and returned home to Ravioli and a Movie with dear sister, Sephora. A lovely way to spend a Friday night.

It's been raining here, we have Flash Flood Warnings through tonight, 70% chance of rain today. I think I'll change into some PJ's and read a book in the livingroom during the storm. Maybe I'll have tea.

Fortunate (?) Accidents

2006-07-05T18:02:00.000-07:00

I believe I ran straight into two Serendipitous moments today. I was at work doing my job of guiding train tours, and as part of the job, I answer any questions the paying customers feel inclined to ask. One of the usual ones is where I go to college. After answering that question for the row before him, I progressed onward to a very excited looking gentleman.
"You go to Thomas Academy?"
It took me a second, "Oh! No, I go to Thomas Aquinas."
"In Santa Paula? Great Books?"
At this point I'm nearly jumping up and down, "Yes! You've heard of it?"
"My niece goes there!"
So he and I had a lovely chat. Said niece will be a sophomore, and we excheanged names, so I'll meet her in the fall.

End Serendipitous Moment #1

On the morning train today I was answering questions when I recieved another common one, where am I from. When I said Upstate NY, the gentleman promptly told me he used to live in Corning! This guy attended West High School, and he told me all the things he and his buddies did on Market Street, etc. It was an enjoyable 15 minutes of time on an otherwise mildly annoying train.

End Serendipitous Moment #2

Overall, a lovely day, including the rainy weather. There's something very honest about rain: the way it smells, it always takes the easy way downhill, it washes dirt away with persistence not strength. The smell I'll miss from CO is the way the aspen trees smell after a rainstorm. Musty, rotted-ish, but fresh in their own, earthy way.

Cynicisms of a Tourist-Trap Employee

2006-06-25T07:52:00.000-07:00

After working two doubles for the past two days, I'm officially exhausted. I have realized that something funny happens to people when they are on vacation; it (vacation) makes them act in ways that would horrify them if they were at home. For instance, one of my duties is to collect tickets on my train; tear it apart, give it to one person who hands all of them to me. When there is a child under the age of 2, the parents/grandparents/relatives think its hilarious to give these bits of paper to this kid, grip their hands around their wrist and have them "give" the tickets to me. (By "hilarious," I mean they giggle and baby talk the child who has been traumatized by my look of confusion) These tourists also think that they are the only people who have ever done this. ever. I get at least two of these on every train.

Yesterday, I had a group of 20-ish loud obnoxious people, who were related, on my afternoon train, and they were sitting by the place I occupy on the way down. hurray. There were 4 pre-teen girls who reminded me of Veruca Salt: loud, whiny and demanding. When I asked this group if they had any questions, they proceeded to ignore me and talk very loudly about their Dad who got blazingly drunk at the last family get-together. Marvelous.

Thank you Horace Walpole

2006-06-22T18:25:00.000-07:00

~We are indebted to the English author Horace Walpole for the word serendipity, which he coined in one of the 3,000 or more letters on which his literary reputation primarily rests. In a letter of January 28, 1754, Walpole says that “this discovery, indeed, is almost of that kind which I call Serendipity, a very expressive word.” Walpole formed the word on an old name for Sri Lanka, Serendip. He explained that this name was part of the title of “a silly fairy tale, called The Three Princes of Serendip: as their highnesses traveled, they were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of....”~ (Taken from Theasaurus.com)

I constantly find myself finding things that I wasn't "in quest of;" very fortunate accidents. Take for instance, my college of choice: Thomas Aquinas College. Fortunate that my darling sisters attended, fortunate that my parents insist I attend the summer program, accidental in the fact that I loved it and made a few very good friends at that program.

I find that I revel in these serendipitous moments. They give my true character a chance to emerge as I react to new places, new people and new circumstances. They also act as modern day adventures; spur of the moment quests in which the everyday mundane becomes somehow romanticized into a tale of heroic feats. Maybe they're just fun.