Bzzzzz

The World Hunger Farm also has bees, and yesterday I got to experience them. There are eight or so beehives and I and another checked on them yesterday, to make sure they were on schedule in honey-producing and what not.

I got to wear a stylish hat like this fellow here, except I wasn't as crazy as him and I also had gloves that went up to my elbows and a long sleeved shirt. It was a little terrifying at first, hundreds of bees buzzing around me. Bees are pretty smart, and if they really want to sting you, they will sting you. Two flew up my pants' leg and stung me in my leg. I am alive to tell the tale. I ended up putting tape over my pants at about the ankle so no one else could squeeze through. It looked hot.


And now tis the weekend and I'm super excited about sleep. I said earlier that I'm getting into naps, but it's been hard for me. I keep trying to nap, and I'm tired, but I just lay there. Like today. It's annoying.

Life is hard.

Dig it?

I have a wonderful sunburn now. It is especially brilliant on a strip of skin on my back right above where my pants ended. My tank top didn't always cover that little area whilst I was bent over, working in the garden this afternoon . It was probably the hardest work I've done since I've been here. Four and a half hours of rolling around in the mud, basically. I still dig it though.

Haha. Dig. I'm punny.

And apparently the majority of my audience would like to be my pillow. That is very sweet of you three people. I'm not saying that it tied with being a garden gnome, because at least two of the three garden gnome votes were me from a different computer. Possibly all three, I don't remember.

You dig?

It rained.

"When will i realize that the skin I'm in, hey, it isn't mine? . . .though I know I can't hid and oh how hard I try, but this is just the shape I'm in."

That's from a Blind Melon song that's playing on my iTunes. Interpret it as you will.

I experienced my first farm rain. It's better than normal rain. Farm rain has more meaning than normal rain. And there is much more mud. But there is much less care about being muddy. I've been caring less about my appearance and cleanliness in general, which is a lot of fun. Here is make up free, dirty, farm Laura, leaning against her farm wall while sitting on her farm bed, typing on her farm laptop.


I officially milked goats for the first time today. I say "officially" because I milked a goat Sunday too, but today was the first time I was scheduled to do so and I milked goats. As in two. There were eight to be milked, but since I'm new and slow, I milked two in the time it took my milking partner to milk six. Milking makes ones fingers rather tired. I will have stronger hands after this summer. And forearms.

There's another new guy we picked up at the Waco airport yesterday, which I had never been to before (I am having so many adventures). We made a sign to great him. I think we kind of freaked him out.

Now the rain is over and the clouds are racing past my window

Sitting Around

You can expect a lot of posts from me this summer. I feel like I will have a lot of free time. And I am becoming ok with that. It used to make me really restless when I didn't have anything to do for extended periods of time. Just sitting around for more than an hour or so just didn't satisfy. Now I'm good with it. I can just sit and read and read and read or journal or nap or what have you. That was most of my yesterday, actually. I finished The Unbearable Lightness of Being, which is exciting. It feels good to finish a book, you know? Next.

So in anticipation of lots of sitting around, I bought the 2007 edition of The Best American Nonrequired Reading and a book by Paulo Coelho called The Witch of Portobello. Those will keep be occupied for a bit.

I'm looking forward to embarking on my first week of working at the farm--to being in it. I only did a little work on Thursday and then on Friday, and haven't gotten my hands dirty since then. I want to.

In the mean time, here is a picture from Whitney Travis . . . er . .Rushing's wedding last Saturday. Wow, that was just a week ago!

I've known those girls for most of my coherent life. I'm glad that I still do. They are good ones.

Sleep is good

I've come to value and enjoy sleep a lot more. This summer I've decided to get into naps. I'll be waking up everyday at 7, at the latest, and working, so a nap in the afternoons sounds like a nice idea. I had a short one yesterday and awoke with the imprint of my quilt on my face. I've never really liked naps before, so this is a big deal for me.

So I have lived through two nights here. Yesterday I harvested a lot of broccoli. I also witnessed a goat giving birth! That was really interesting. And I saw one of them take its first steps. Life is amazing.

Another new girl has moved in. Her name is Anna and also goes to Baylor. We are both sitting in the common area right now and just had breakfast. She made bread yesterday and it is really good. I just had some toasted.

During the weekends the only people who have to work are those who have weekend duty. So I slept in some this morning and will probably go into town today and bother my roommates.

My computer is almost out of battery and I don't feel like going to get my charger, so I'll leave it at that.

Here

I'm here now and I had no reason to be so nervous. This is probably one of the most chill places in the world, with really nice people.

So today I got here (here being the World Hunger Farm, if you're just now tuning in) at two and moved into the dorm. My bed is really close to the ground. I have my own little corner ("In my own little corner in my own little chair . . .") Right now I'm the only person in my room, but soon two more girls will be joining me. It'll be a party. Another girl lives in an adjoining room. So I moved in, and then was at a loss of what to do (most of the farm work occurs in the first half of the day). So I gave myself a little tour aka I wandered around (meandered, if you will). I said hi to the goats and cows and rabbits; I checked out what was growing in the garden, etc (I'm being way too detailed).

Anywho, eventually I spotted some people working in the garden. I walked up and asked if I could help. So then I assisted them in transplanting eggplants. I really love working with my hands. Blisters are already starting to form. Sweet.

My evening ended with getting ice cream with "the girls." One of them is leaving in the morning, so I joined in on their farewell activities. They are neat people and I'm excited to be here.

It feels so right to be here

Before

Baa. Today I go there. Really? Today? Within the hour I will be there. That's cool. I'm cool. I'm all packed, and I'm cool.

Daytrotter is a cool website. So cool that they have become "of interest" to you (on the right). Che-che-che-check out, wha-wha-wha-what's it all about.

I've noticed that being nervous is kind of like a drug. My perception is a bit distorted and I'm saying weird things. I felt like this times ten before I played at Common Grounds, and before that before I played at Buon Giorno. And people keep trying to talk to me and that is just not a good idea. I hold not responsibility for what I may say. And I still have 30 minutes to stew in this!

I am an all powerful Amazon warrior
not just some sniveling girl
so no matter what I think I need
I can't possibly
have a need
in this world


Thank you Ani Difranco. Me neither.

Idyllic

Wow, three people so far want to be my pillow. That was my silly answer choice, the one I just threw in there, I guess I have good friends/stalkers. They want to make my head comfortable. I personally would want to be a garden gnome, out of process of elimination really. As a paintbrush, I would always be flung about and have gunk in my hair. As a Macbook Pro I would be too stressed out. As a djembe someone would always be hitting me. As my pillow, I would be smothered and get hair germs and face oil all up on me. As a garden gnome, I could be outside, and maybe even kidnapped and taken to interesting places. Sure, I couldn't independently move, but that is the meaning of the world inanimate. Mainly I want to be a garden gnome because my desktop picture right now is a colony of gnomes I saw in Switzerland.

They look happy. I would be too--forever chilling in the yard of a house located on a Swiss Alp.

I'm back in Waco now, if you're keeping track. Tomorrow at two I'll be moving into the farm. I have this idyllic vision of me at the farm. In the morning I merrily milk goats, tend to the chickens, whatever they have me do. Then merrily I eat lunch with my fellow workers. Then merrily sit outside and read and journal and play spades or some such activity. That's my vision right now.

Until then, I'm just sitting around.

Oh, and the Radiohead concert was sweet. Even though we were really far away and couldn't see much. It was still sweet.


AND..to make this post even longer and contain more types of media, here's a video of Jason Mraz's new single. I have a crush on him.

Palermo

"'How would you like to go to Palermo ten days from now?' asked Franz.
'I prefer Geneva,' she answered. She was standing in front of her easel, examining a work in progress.
'How can you live without seeing Palermo?' asked Franz at an attempt at levity.
'I have seen Palermo,' she said.
'You have?' he said with a hint of jealousy.
'A friend of mine once sent me a postcard from there. It's taped up over the toilet. Haven't you noticed?'"

That one is from page 80.

I'm going to hang out with Radiohead tonight. Woot! I'm not actually an active listener of Radiohead, but I appreciate them as musical artists and enjoy concerts. I hear they have memorable concerts. Woot!

I will soon begin the next phase of my summer. This past week as been hanging-out-at-home phase. Consuming. Food, time, money. Phase two will involve working, but with hanging out involved as well. Making new friends and learning. I'll let you know how it goes.

And apparently people would rather roadtrip than work at an organic farm with cool people. I guess we're different. I don't know why I made that poll, I had already made my decision. I guess just to know other people's decisions. You should take my new one though. It'll give me insight into the souls of my fan base.

Just Me

"Chance and chance alone has a message for us. Everything that occurs out of necessity, everything expected, repeated day in and day out is mute. Only chance can speak to us. We read its messages much as gypsies read the images made by coffee grounds at the bottom of a cup."

That's from page 48 of a book I'm rereading--The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. I read it for my European Lit class in the fall and remember finding it intriguing. I'm now out to find how intriguing it actually is. So far, very much so. I heard a quote once, I think by C.S. Lewis or Winston Churchill or some other oft-quoted man, about how to really read a book, one must read it twice. I believe that to be true. And since it is in a quote, it must be true.

So, I know we've been over this, but I'm a senior now.

And I'm in a big empty house. I love the people who normally occupy this house, but it's also really fun for it to just be me (and Milan Kundera).

Senora Laura

I like this whole not-having-a-schedule thing. It's very satisfying. I want to be a writer, so I can do this forever. No office nor fluorescent lights nor squeaky chairs. Bleh. The room in which I took my Political Science final had very squeaky chairs. It was really distracting.

So I'm a senior now.

Rachael: "We're Seniors. How did this happen?"
Laura: "I don't know. We went to a few classes, took some tests, and it just happened."
(I feel italics makes things more interesting)

Well it's happening, whether we're happy about it or not. I am usually. And there's no point in mourning the loss of college before I've left. I have my whole life for that! I hope I don't use my whole life for that though. That would be depressing--if when I'm a writer I just write about how much I miss college. Don't let me do that.

I have so much to do! Write in my journal. Read a book. Play guitar. Organize my binder of songs; it's a mess. Continue writing in my blog. Hang out with my roommates. Eat. I'm so stressed. I have no time for all of this!

Heh.

LIttle Plastic Castle by Ani Difranco

This song has been an obsession of mine since I got the CD it resides in earlier this semester. You can tell she is having the time of her life when she performs. I want to see her live; that's a goal of mine. She rarely comes down South though, let alone to Texas. I'll just have to move.

:)

This is a strange and wonderful feeling. The only class left that I have responsibility to is Astronomy, and that final is Monday afternoon. That's an eternity away! Today I sold back some books, and so I have cash, an empty schedule, and many adventures to be had.

Speaking of adventures--have I told you that's what I want to do after I graduate next year? Ultimately, I want to go to grad school, but before then, I want to have an adventure or two. I could go plant trees in Canada or maintain trails in a national park or pick kiwis in New Zealand. I'm only young once, and with no family of my own nor career to hold me down. I could just go. Go go go go.

I feel like this semester I've over-used the word "adventure". Is that possible?

And let's just say I'm super excited for this semester to be over. It has given everyone a beating, and I'm not just talkin' academics. I've gotten closer to many of my friends, though, because of it.

I'm a nerd

Reason 1: I've already written in here once today (I've had a lot of time on my hands)

Reason 2: I ate lunch alone today at Memorial

Reason 3: While eating lunch, I wrote a poem.

Reason 4: That poem is about an omelette

Reason 5: I'm about to show that poem to you.

red tomatoes
green peppers
salsa and cheese
eating alone
for all to see
ain't no one here
but my omelette and me
and salt and pepper
my mind set free
no conversation
to tie it down
no small talk
to hinder its bound
no vocal chords movin'
no smile nor frown
just no one here
but my omelette and me
red tomatoes
green peppers
salsa and cheese

now we're halfway done
with each bite, it disappears
like moments in a day
months into years
miles under car
hair in the sink
lead on this paper
ice into my drink
ain't no one here
but my omelette and me
red tomatoes
green peppers
salsa and cheese

now my omelette's gone
I'm really on my own
sitting at a table
exposed and alone
but those eggs are inside
fueling my drive
they will give me energy
help me to survive

ain't no one inside
but my omelette and me
red tomatoes
green peppers
salsa and cheese


It will be my new hit single.

There was actually also mushrooms in my omelette, but that didn't really go with the rhythm.

Tristan Prettyman

A couple of weekends ago I went to Austin to see this girl in concert. Since then, she has taken over my apartment. At any given moment one of use--me or my roommates--is listening to her. I keep waiting to get tired of her but it still hasn't happened. Here's the video to one of her new songs, Madly


And then here's a picture of Linh and Tins being excited to see her whilst in line, and then a picture of her performing at Stubb's.



I have a girl crush.

Oh, and on an unrelated note, my planner has a new inspirational quote every week. This week's:

"You've got to take initiative and play your game. In a decisive set, confidence is the difference" --Chris Evertz

Today is dead

Class is over and Baylor students are in the midst of dead days. I'm at Common Grounds and there is no one around me just hanging out and talking like usual; everyone is hunched over books and papers. The conversation that is around me consists of class talk, study talk, exam talk. Lots of furrowed brows. There is a solidarity in our studying.

My brow is un-furrowed at the moment. I'm not too stressed out. I don't believe in furrowing my brow over my classes. It's just school, it's not the world. Chill out. Learn what you can, do what you can, but don't loose your joy in the process.

Ben Harper is playing so I'm feeling particularly groovy and chill, if you can't tell.

I'm wearing my tshirt that says "books are good for you." I'm hoping to impart a good message on me and on all who look at my shirt. Books are good for you.

I feel like I've only been in class a week, and now they are all over. Junior year has been a very interesting year.

Old friends and new*

So most of my European friends are now back in my life (as in American friends that have studied in Europe this semester. I'm so cool now that I have to make that distinction). I forgot how much I enjoyed them, since I haven't spent time with them in a year.

Mi piaciono.

I don't know about you, but I sometimes have a difficult time balancing. I believe in the value of the chase, in the art of "playing hard to get," as silly as it is. As in dating. Like, in not coming on too strong, keeping the other guessing, etc. But at the same time, my blossoming feminism is encouraging me to shed these archaic dating rituals and just go after what I want. I don't know how to balance these two drives. Do you? This is not rhetorical.

And here's a shot of Eddie on one of the rare occasions that he is out of his shell

I'm really interested to see how long he will survive in the environment of my bathroom counter. Yesterday I caught him whilst he was emerging out of his shell. That was really exciting. But then I took a lot of pictures and he got scared and slushed back in (I wasn't sure what verb to use. I wanting to say "gooeyed" back in, but that makes no sense. He is more gooey than slushy though).

And tomorrow is my last day of class. Woot! I'm ignoring the fact, though, that a lot of my friends at other schools are already done with their finals. That's an injustice.

*The significance of my post title is that my European-American friends are old, and Eddie is new.

It's May.

So yes, I'm living and working at the World Hunger Farm this summer. I can't decide whether to be scared or excited. Part of me doesn't want to, but I know myself well enough to know that is just the scared part of me. It's the same part of me that last spring, didn't want to go to Italy. I ignored her then and I'm going to ignore her now.

Now it's just up to me to decide when I want to start. I want to spend some time at home, so I'm thinking around the 1st. My stomach has a lot of butterflies in it right now.

In other news, the last day o' classes is this upcoming Monday. Holla. And my last final is on the 12th, which seems rather late to me.

And on a final note, you can get the new Death Cab EP for free here (that's a link by the way).