On to Hawking!

The rain just won't let up...I keep waking up to the same shade of gray, unsure of when it will downpour and when the clouds will contain themselves. Today's tennis plans are once again up in the air! I did end up playing yesterday surprisingly, so maybe today will be another one of those surprisingly pleasant days. It's really all about the timing =) After tennis last night, I made ravioli with spinach and corn for dinner along with some homemade garlic bread. It was yummy!! And I was definitely hungry after my workout! After dinner I threw around a football with my brother. It was a gorgeous night and I had a lot of fun. I love spending evenings outside!


So since I finished the Feynman book in the morning yesterday, I started The Illustrated A Brief History of Time & The Universe in a Nutshell last night. I am LOVING it. I read the first two chapters, so roughly 50 pages last night. Not much that I've read so far is news to me but every time I consider all of these ideas about space-time and the expanding universe, I get really excited. A part of me really wishes I was a physics major. I LOVE theoretical physics! I am planning on finishing this book quickly haha (Feynman only took a couple of days so hopefully this will too, it's much shorter!). I am tempted to take notes as I read; I guess you can't get the student out of me! (Good thing too, considering I am going to med school).

Today's plans are more of the usual..TV, reading, eating, playing tennis, helping out with dinner, and some more reading haha! Oh and can't forget the daily crossword! So tomorrow is my sister's prom and I am in charge of getting her ready! I'm going to curl her hair and do her makeup. I'm really excited for it! I've even figured out what purse and jewelry she should wear. Reminds me of when I went to prom..doesn't seem like it was so long ago. Man, I am getting old!

I am really enjoying this week off. I am ridiculously glad that I wasn't able to start work yet. I really needed this down time after all the studying I did and things just worked out well. I honestly don't even care about working..it's just a source of money. That's how I'm seeing it. I don't even know what I'll be doing yet but whatever...just want to save up some money, that's all!

Okay my stomach is grumbling and I need to get some food in me. More later =)

Moving Day!

BUSY DAY! I squeezed a year of my life into 2 cars and drove it home..the cars were jam packed! I don't know how we did it...I still can't believe it. And to motivate myself to unpack everything before August, I put it all in my room. I don't know of a plan that has backfired with more drastic consequence--there is barely any space to walk right now! I did clean for at least an hour and half but there is just SO MUCH to sort through. Haha whatever..I did manage to bake some brownies in between so I'm happy (and so is my dad haha) Oh and I discovered that silken tofu is a great egg replacer--at least for brownies =)

So driving home from Philly was a little sad at first. Watching the skyline grow smaller and smaller and eventually disappear from the side view mirror was definitely an emotional experience. All I needed to top it off was a montage of my Philly memories with Good Riddance or Here's to the Nights playing in the background. That really would've triggered the waterworks!

Moving out was alright but after I got home we cut up some nice cold mangoes and mann they were SO sweet and juicy! It was a beautiful thing, really. Oh and I watered our vegetable garden as well as the new trees that my parents recently planted. We bought 5 more today and I think we're getting 3 more tomorrow...and then planting all 8 tomorrow afternoon! It's gonna be nice though cuz the weather has been cooperating lately..I think I'll watch some reruns during the day and maybe finish cleaning up the room before gardening..

I was looking forward to making up Colbert episodes but apparently he took Memorial week off..so much for that! I guess I'll just do a crossword and maybe get to bed early tonight. I am exhausted after all that moving out anyway. Good night!

I guess the crazy hair is in their genes?!

Ahh so many days have passed...I guess I have been too busy doing things to remember to post about them. I'll mention the major points of the last few days and ahh I'll try harder to post more regularly instead of in lists when I finally get around to it!

1. Thursday: nothing significant (more like too long ago to care haha)

2. Friday: Went to New Harmony with a group of friends...always a pleasure! I LOVE New Harmony! I had the general tso's chicken (fake of course) and orange chicken and moo shu pork and veg spring rolls. Everything was SO yummy!

3. Saturday: Went to my friend's sister's wedding (the one I had to do a dance at). It was a fun reception and I had a great time eating yummy food and dancing the whole time! We performed our dance and it went well so that was good...my friend's parents were reallly cute! They were the type that quietly hold hands as if nobody else was in the room. Her dad gave a great speech about how his daughter has always been there and he knows she will always be there and it was just really touching. It was a nice party and a welcomed study break!

4. Sunday: STUDIED. I had a neuro exam monday that I was less than adequately prepared for but the little preparation I did do was all concentrated on Sunday. I did go to Chili's for dinner though so that was another nice (undeserved) study break.

5. Monday: AHH NEURO EXAM! It was tough but I survived. Didn't do as badly as I expected (and should have) so that was a nice plus. Afterwards, went to Maggianos for post-exam Italian-food-induced-coma. It was great--I had eggplant parm which is a dish I haven't had there before. Except the waiter sucked and didn't bring out my side of fettucine alfredo until more than halfway through my meal. Ah whatever, it did make a nice mid-afternoon snack =)

Also went to Belgium Cafe with a group of friends on Monday. It's a pretty cool place with some interesting (and by interesting I mean naked) pictures. I had a vegetarian rueben sandwich that was a little on the greasy side but still good. One of my friends had vegetarian bbq wings that were awesome so I'll have to get that next time! Afterwards, went to one of my friend's place and watched Enemy of the State (not to be confused with Enemy at the Gates which I did haha) I like that movie a lot and it's been a while since I've seen it so it wasn't nearly as predictable as you would think..

6. Tuesday (today, finally!): Today was another nice day. I went to Palace at the Ben for the lunch buffet with a couple friends. It was a splendid time =D

Then I went bowling (hooray for $2 games plus a free game because of the delay) and then had an Oreo McFlurry from McDonalds (it was good but man it could've been so much better if there were more oreos!) And then I made stuffed shells (spinach, ricotta, jalapenos and onions) and garlic bread for dinner. It was YUMMY! And just now I did two lectures. So I've had a pretty packed day and it's been awesome...gonna go watch a movie now but I'll find something imagey to leave off with..

Goku as a baby:

Catchup

Greetings! It has been a few days so I have to catch you up with what I've been up to...I promise, I have excellent reasons for not having posted in the past 3 days:

1. I saw Star Trek in IMAX!!! It was SO good and definitely worth every penny. I never really watched the show but they made the movie accessible to all audiences. It was a great experience, definitely worth seeing!


2. I saw The Holiday with Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jack Black, and Jude Law. (Which one of those doesn't belong haha) No but seriously, I was just squinting at the screen wondering if that is actually Jack Black! He seemed kind of out of place in terms of the story and even his character. Not to say he did badly, it just wasn't what you would expect from him. Beyond that, there is nothing remarkable about the movie. It's entertaining enough but definitely not a big deal if you don't see it. One thing I found strange was that anyone could just switch homes with someone on a whim like that. It's kind of crazy and intimidating I think. Ah well, I guess if I had to switch into anyone's home might as well be Kate Winslet's or Cameron Diaz's, right?

3. I went to Italian Bistro for lunch. It was a fun time. I've found that I am particular about fettucine alfredo. I like the dish but I don't think many restaurants make it the way I crave it. Maybe I prefer a more Americanized version of the pasta but whatever it is, Maggiano's does it right! (plus they add broccoli!)

4. I have been studying a good amount. I have an exam coming up on Monday and with a wedding to attend this weekend, I am in a crunch for time. Not to worry though, with proper planning I will be able to do well =) Ahh, I love neuro!


5. I am reading The namesake. I went to my library hoping to walk out with Interpreter of Maladies but unfortunately it wasn't there. So instead I got the namesake. It's interesting to read a book after already knowing the story. It has a thrill of it's own--reading how a certain memorable scene is written and replaying it in your head. Fun stuff =)

6. Reminiscing/Being Emotional. I am down to a little over 2 weeks in Philly. While the end of the school year is something that will never fail to bring excitement, it is definitely overwhelming to think about how this chapter is about to end. It really is bittersweet and I am just trying to make the most of the time that is left. It is hard to keep my mind off that countdown calendar in my head but I am trying really hard to not focus on that..

So those are all the things I've been busy with and now I'll share some random thoughts I've had that I want to share. I'm gonna stick with a numbered list because well, why mess with what works?

1. I think it's amazing how far we've come in terms of technology. Just the other day I was noticing how one of my friends has downloaded the newest version of Windows. I think it's remarkable how some people still haven't gotten (used to) Windows Vista and now there's a new version for them to struggle with. We live in a society where we are constantly outdoing ourselves. Every step we take seems to carry us a mile away from the previous step. In such a vibrant and dynamic system, it is easy to forget the value of the previous step. Sometimes I just stop and think about how amazing it is that somebody invented something as commonplace as a pen. It's remarkable how rich our lives are and how little we realize that.


2. Oreo milkshakes are just about the best thing there ever was. (See, simple inventions can really bring magic to a hot, dry afternoon!) I LOVE oreo milkshakes. I had an Oreo Frosty from Wendy's today and it was just amazing. Absolutely amazing!

3. Coke Zero. Good stuff, right? The only thing that could make it better is---oh I don't know, how about getting 11 cans for free!! On my way to Wendy's I passed a coke zero truck that was giving away sample cans for free. Definitely made it a point to get one--11 times! I am stocked up for the rest of the month now =D

Alright well that's about all I can gather for now. I'm gonna start studying because I have practice later..

Weekend reflections

I've had a beautiful weekend at home! I came home Friday evening on the train. Spent the entire train ride home reading through Neuro notes but don't worry--I made up for it by not doing any work the rest of the weekend! Friday night my brother and sister and I played outside on the driveway because the weather was absolutely gorgeous. We played volleyball for a bit and then we played 'bowling' where we set up empty milk gallons and soda bottles as pins. It was a lot of fun! I was the best at it but my brother won cuz of a sneak spare attack at the end..

Yesterday I just sort of roamed around all day. I can't recall doing anything particularly noteworthy during the day but then we went out to Mother's Day dinner (since I have to go back to philly and everything would be crowded right now). We went to Bertucci's which is my FAVORITE pizza (yes, even better than Pietros). It was a great time. We had a pie with cherry peppers + onions and a second pie with spinach, ricotta, and roasted garlic. I was a huge fan of the latter pie because I love spinach! After dinner we came back and watched Heyy Baby, an Indian movie about 3 men that end up having to deal with a baby. It's a pretty funny/cute movie so I'm glad we watched it.

Just woke up and now I'm gonna figure out what to do with the morning hours. Maybe some studying? Ahh we'll see haha..Happy Mother's day =)

What's cuter than a Maltese puppy!

I'm back at home for the weekend now! My sister's visit to Philly is officially over. It was a fun week with practically no studying. I will have to compensate this upcoming week but it's okay...it was all worth it! We went to the Liberty Bell and US Mint and Congress Hall on Wednesday. Then we strolled down South Street and went into a few quirky shops. We ended the day with a visit to Barnes and Noble and then dinner at Pietro's (best pizza in Philly in my opinion!). Then on Thursday we went to the park and tossed around a football for hours--I can't think of anything that would make me happier on a beautiful spring afternoon. Then we went to Pattaya Grill for dinner and laser tag in the quad afterwards! This morning, we went to Marathon Grill/Qdoba for brunch and then came home. All in all, a relaxing week in Philly!

This weekend I'm just planning on doing a lot of work and then going to my aunt's baby shower on Sunday morning. Then back to Philly!

So late last week President Papadakis (Drexel), passed away. It's so weird and sad at the same time. He has done a lot for the school and I think the saddest thing is how students as little as 2 years from now won't recognize his contributions. This pertains to society in general--it's crazy how short-lived people's lives really are. I guess we just have to touch the lives of the people around us and that's what a real legacy is.

I watched Marley & Me with my sister a few days ago. It was a pretty good movie! Not because of the acting or anything like that but the story itself was funny/touching. I have always wanted to have a dog--a Maltese puppy to be exact. They are perfect for me...small and friendly and playful! I really want to get one and so this movie was perfect for a dog-lover like me!

Okay enough procrastinating! I'm gonna start doing some work now...let's see if I remember how to study. It HAS been 3 weeks since I've memorized anything ;)

The Nines

I had a pretty good day today overall! I went to some required classes and went to Palace at the Ben for lunch. I was really surprised and excited to find that they now have a lunch buffet for $9.95. The food was awesome and they didn't cut corners because it was a buffet. Definitely gonna go back for lunch sometime!

Then I did some magazine browsing at Border's. It's so strange..I never read a magazine in my life before this past year and now it's one of those relaxing things to do at a bookstore. Maybe watching too many Disney channel shows is having some serious side effects on me. Ah whatever.

I just watched a movie called The Nines with Ryan Reynolds in it. I really like Ryan Reynolds and it was interesting to see him take on a more serious role in this metaphysical thriller. The movie definitely had me guessing at what exactly was going on--what was real and what was imagined. Which is exactly what they were going for. In the beginning I was afraid it was going to turn into another '23' nightmare but it drifted away from an obsession with numbers into a more psychologically involved movie. Not your average Sex and the City movie here. Ryan Reynolds really did a good job acting and I think this is one of few chances he has had to really prove his worth. He definitely wowed me in this movie (and not just with his body ;)

Okay enough of that. I'm gonna get to bed so I can have a fresh, early start tomorrow. Goodnight!