Dear Nature, a note.

Dear Nature,

Greetings from one of your greatest admirers!  I just wanted to drop you a quick note on this fine Fall afternoon.  One question... WHY DID YOU EVER CREATE STINK BUGS? And why, oh why do they love to live in places that are not cool?  Such as my hair?   Yeah, Nature.  I found a stink bug in my hair today.  Inside of my apartment.  I didn't even step outside for one split second.  Totally freaked out.  I don't appreciate it.

Step it up, Nature.


Love,

Sarah

The Gap Year

This is me.  Sitting on my couch.  Sitting on my couch in the living room of the apartment that I share with the boy that I like a whole lot.  

This is me sitting on our couch that we share after a long day.  His long day packed with classes and jobs and responsibilities on campus.  My long day spent working the full time job that I snagged in a small college town filled with hardly any part time jobs.  The full time job that I started working two days after I graduated.  The full time job that I really do not enjoy going to everyday.  Yeah, that one. 

I believe the "gap year" for me thus far has been an experience in quiet chaos.  Change comes with the territory of growing up, obviously, but all of this is not what I had anticipated.  Change has been a frequent visitor, lightly tapping at my door at strange and inconvenient hours.  It's not one of those "Oh, hello familiar knock on the door!" that is answered with a sense of comfort and expectancy.  "Maybe I have mail!" 

No, it's a weird knock that makes you question if answering the door is better than standing still until the knocker gives up and goes away.  Pro tip: Make sure not to even breathe too loudly -- as if they/it could hear you through the wood and metal.  Also, the floors squeak.  Instant giveaway.  "Maybe it's a pushy Bible salesman..." Wamp, wamp. 

I took the gap year to give myself space to figure things out.  One thing I have figured out so far is that waiting for an answer is hard.  I believe I'm arriving at that answer step by step (knock by knock, if you will), but it's hard.  It is hard to examine yourself and really analyze what you want out of life, even if it is only for "right now."  I'm still not even absolutely sure what the question is. 

There is a gap.  I just don't know what to fill it with yet. 

Life Talks

My intense yearning for seeing friends who are far away was satisfied with life talks over soy chai tea lattes.


Oh, life talks. You are so satisfying.

Life is happening all at once right now, so I guess we'll all just have to find a door frame and hunker down until the quake subsides.

From me, to you.

Updates & Such

I'll be wearing this get up + a silly hat in about ten days. 

Weird. 

My plans for summer/next year seem to be solidifying. 

I was recently hired (yesterday) at a local bank to work in their Call Center full time. 

I'm keeping my position at Old Navy for extra cash. 

Working a full and part time job might kill me... I guess we'll find out! 

I'm holding off on grad school until 2013.  Also looking into AmeriCorps programs in Pittsburgh. 

Stuff and stuff. 

I won some writing awards at IUP's English Dept. Honors Ceremony.

* First Place for Creative Non-Fiction -- I also converted this piece into a book that I self-published for a class! Available for purchase! Haha... but yeah, seriously.  You can buy it.  And by "can," I mean "should."  

* Honorable Mention for Critical Research -- a language and gender research paper about Disney movie princesses. Boss.
 

I got a hair cut. 

These are my life updates. 

More to appear in the future. 

Tradition

Enjoy your traditions today! 

Help?

I would very much like to invest in a nice camera at a reasonable price. 

Those of you with experience should give me a heads up, si vous plait! 

Merci beaucoup.  

Harrisburg Is Cool, Pt. 4: Zoo America

Who doesn't love a good zoo?!

Best frands! (I make weird faces... a lot)

Zoos are so much fun, regardless of age.

Today was our first lovely taste of Spring, so we took advantage of the warm weather to see some sleepy animals after lunch.

If you are in the Harrisburg/Hershey area, check out Zoo America.

 Admission is cheap and everyone who works there is super duper friendly!

Harrisburg Is Cool, Pt. 3: Midtown Scholar

GO HERE.

NOW.

Good books, good coffee, good people.  



Harrisburg Is Cool, Pt. 2: Neato Burrito

Neato Burrito is probably the best place to eat on the planet. At least in Harrisburg...when you want a burrito. Just sayin'.

Joe and I were there a few months ago one on of our adventure days in the 717.  We worked up an appetite after exploring the State Museum of PA.  

I ordered "The Cowboy Crunch" --  my favorite. Joe ordered the hummus with pineapple salsa...delicious. Om nom nom.

There are a few Neato locations (I have been to 3 of them), but we went to the 2nd Street store downtown.  Very retro and funky environment.  I especially love the window counter seating--you can people watch while enjoying your delicious burrito.  Best.

When in the 717, one must consume Neato Burrito. End of story.

**Note: We are actually in Harrisburg right now for a few days over Spring Break! This explains why I actually have time to blog. Boo school, Yay home!

I plan to consume all of the burritos over the next few days.

 HUZZAH!

Miss Representation

Dear Blogosphere,

I am working with my English Honor Society and others to bring a screening of Miss Representation  to my college campus.  

This endeavor is a bit expensive. 

We need your support! 

"The film explores how the media’s misrepresentations of women have led to the underrepresentation of women in positions of power and influence."

Go here for more information. 

 Please, please, please help spread the word about this amazing documentary and the message it endorses! 

Contribute in any way you can, whether it is 1 cent, 1 dollar, or more.  Every bit helps. 

I have installed a Google Checkout on the left side bar of this blog for donations.

All of our extra proceeds from the screening will be donated to the Miss Rep movement or a women's charity. 

OR you can go directly to their website and contribute that way. 

Valentine's Day

It was nice. 

** Update **

We enjoyed a sushi boat at the local sushi place, where I constructed Battlestar Gallactica fight scenes (cylon raider vs. a Viper) with paper and pieces of napkins...yeah, this is my life and I am OKAY WITH IT.

Battlestar forever.

V-Day ftw.