Only in America

For the past week I've been going in the mornings religiously to Defined Fitness, the gym up on Juan Tabo. Last night I didn't have any money lto go out so I decided to stay home. By staying in I ended up getting bored of watching TV and figured I'd go for a swim at 10pm. I got a pretty good swim in, considering it was the first time I've been in the pool in over a year, and about an hour later I was ready to go home.

The second I stepped out of the gym I stopped dead in my tracks. I smelled something... something wonderful. I kept waking to my car and sniffing the air (I probably looked like a crazy person!) trying to figure out where the amazing scent was coming from. As I was about to open my door I realized what I was smelling.... Krispy Kreme .

Some genius a couple years back bought an empty lot on Juan Tabo and Candelaria and decided that it would be a great idea to build a doughnut shop RIGHT NEXT TO A GYM. Talk about bad luck! I mean, here are people who are going to the gym to get fit, healthy and in shape and they have to pass by one of the best doughnut places in the world.

Last night took every ounce of strength I had left in me (not much considering it was the second time that day I had worked out) not to stop and get a fresh baked doughnut (seriously - check those out!). I need to mention something else for this story to have it's full effect. After spending a little less than a year in another country, I can safely say that the doughnuts here are as good as they get. When I was over there, my friends once raved about their jam doughnuts, and it was at a point when I would have given my left arm for the taste of a hot Krispy Kreme doughnut, so I decided to give theirs a try. Talk about a let down. It was as though I had put a little bit of sugar on a roll and then called it a doughnut. Needless to say...my craving only grew stronger.

I didn't give into the temptation last night, nor did I this morning - but I can tell I'm going to hit a breaking point soon. It's just a cruel and mean thing to put something like that next to a gym...I'm strong, but I'm not that strong, dammit!

blakjdaisfa

Next week I finish looking for a job. I'm going to try Johnny Carinos, Red Robin, AOL and if none of those work out for me then I'm gonna go and ask for my job back at Dions. BUT, I'm going to see if I can work during the day instead of nights. I dno't want to go down to Cruces this early in the summer, so hopefully I'll get something this week...

In a few minutes I'm going to try to get my membership back at the gym. I think it should be cheap enough since it's towards the end of the month...I need to do something productive at least.

My parents anniiversary is tomorrow; 25 years. That's crazy! We're going out to dinner to Quarters, I'm actually kinda excited to go...mmm....steak...mmm...salad...mmm.... speaking of eating out - I wanna go get some ice cream cause it's hot outside.

Ok time to go.

I'm opinionated...deal with it!

Remember when you could go to McDonald's and get a breakfast MEAL for $1.99??? Well folks, I went there this morning (because I was actually up before the 10:30am cut off) and got myself a #3 meal. How much did it cost, you ask? $3.79!!! That's just crazy, and a crying shame. I guess I won't be eating at Micky D's for awhile...

Also on my mind - the other day I was at Walmart shopping for a certain gift for a certain holiday coming up and while I was shopping there I came to the conclusion that Walmart only hires those people who are completely incompetent to do more than one thing at once. Picture this: There are THREE women behind the counter and while my mom and I are standing there they all 'look' busy. One is SITTING on the floor PLAYING with the price sticker machine, one is LOOKING at what is in the case below her and the other is actually ringing up a customer (she's ok in my book). My mom finally has to ask to be helped and the woman looking at the case says she can't do anything because she doesn't have a key - Um, HELLO! Ask for a key!!!

Finally, after a heavy sigh and an eye-roll better than I could have done, she walked over and 'helped' us. When I say 'helped' I mean she put in as much effort as I would if I HAD to get up and do something during Alias... Moving on - so, my Mom and I decide on what we want to purchase and she puts the item in a bag. This would be fine and dandy if we were buying a shirt or something to that effect, but we weren't. I finally asked Ms. Helpful if she would mind finding a box and she replied, without even looking, that they didn't have any. I then said that the item purchased was for a gift and I would not be giving it to him in a walmart bag. Then, magically, a box appeared. BUT, this does not end there. This woman tried to STUFF the item in the box. She took it apart and tried to get it to fit in the box. She finally, somehow, got it in there, and we paid and left. When we got to the car we looked at the item in the box and took it out. Ms. Helpful didn't even try to put the item in the right way! It reminded me of when I was little and we would play with the circle, square and triangle blocks to get them into the correct shaped holes. Ms. Helpful had obviously never played that little game when she was younger.

That was my lovely experience with an incompetent person...why must there be so many of them out there?????

In other news - I still don't have a job. It's not that I haven't been looking though, because I have. I have applied at 10, yes TEN, different places and so far no luck. I have a stack of about 6 more applications to drop off tomorrow so hopefully something will come from them. I don't want to go back to Dions. It's not that I didn't enjoy working there...I did...when I was a Junior in high school. I'm a Senior in college now. I realize I'm running low on options, but I don't enjoy working at a place where the workers actually act like children. During this past winter when Laura and I were working there a girl actually SAT DOWN on the floor while making a salad and said "This is too hard and I'm tired". COME ON!!!! That's just RIDICULOUS. GEEZ.

If I don't find something by next week my only other option might be to move down to Las Cruces about a month earlier than I thought and find a job down there...and I really don't want to do that. I like living at home now and I like living in Albuquerque but if it means that I can start making money sooner, then I might go.

With that said...I'm gonna go see about getting me a job....

smart cars in the 505

What has America come to?? While I was driving home from running erands I looked to my right and what did I see??? A SMART CAR! It was red and black and I actually did a double take. I seriously didn't expect to see one of those over here for a long time!

Smart cars are these teeny-tiny cars that hold two people - barely. I personally think they're hidious and should be ran over by a nice big American truck...but what do I know? I'm just kidding...

It doesn't get better than this!

Yesterday I woke up bright and early at 4:30am and I didn't end up going back to sleep until 11:30pm - I was awake for 19 hours; now that's crazy! Yesterday was also one of the best days I can ever remember having!

When I woke up to the birds chirping my mom and dad were already awake so we talked for a little bit, then my dad went back to sleep and my mom and I watched some Alias while I unpacked.

Since it was Sunday, the four of us went to church. I really enjoyed being with my dad; really enjoyed it. After church we went to hurricanes for some very tasty New Mexican food!!

My dad needed some rest after church and the meal, so I went to go meet up with Jeff at his new house. His house rocks...I love it and it was wonderful to hang out with him! After I left his house I went to go visit my friends Curtis and Kent just up the road. From the moment I got to Jeff's house I had a smile on my face that could not be wiped away.

I drove up central to Curtis' and sat on his futon with a grin from ear to ear listening to him and Kent fill me in on the last few months! I realized the time and told them I had to leave to go hang out with the 'rents....but they both invited me back to hang out with them later at night, as did Jeff.

Again, while I was driving home I just had this overwhelming joy! I got home and my parents and I went shopping for some things...good times were had once again! After we got home I rested a bit before I went back over to the UNM side to hang out with my friends.

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE driving in this city??? I left my house around 8pm - the PERFECT time to drive around Albuquerque in this city if you ask me. The sun was setting and if you've ever seen an Albuquerque sun set then you'll know what I'm talking about. I rolled down my windows, turned up my music and drove west...Staring straight at the sky that looked like it was on fire. The sunset was turning our sky an orange hue with pink outlining the clouds...then the clouds started turning purple. Too beautiful - yesterday I decided I will keep my camera with me in my car as often as possible.

A lot of us may complain about living in a desert and having to drive hundreds of miles to find an ocean but, the next time you're outside look up: there's our ocean! Then look down: there's our beach! We have it made...we seriously have got it made.

I'm pretty sure the drivers of Albuquerque who've seen me around yesterday must think there is something weird going on with me because I just keep smiling all the time! I met Jeff, Kelly and Brian at Johnson Field at UNM and I played frisbee with them. :) It makes me smile just thinking about it...It was perfect. After the sun went down, about an hour later, I told them I had to leave...and went over to Curtis'.

More good times were had there... Natalie, Arlana, Curtis, Kent, Hawk, Elise and Crystal were there. It was just so chill and comfortable! Everyone was just filling me in on things that had gone on and vice versa! I love the chill nights like that, we literally just talked for about 2 hours.

This doesn't even hit the tip of the iceberg - it was the best start to the summer I ever could have asked for - I know it's going to be great! My goal for this week is to get a job or two (my first choice is Starbucks - wish me luck)! It's much hotter here than I'm used to, and I hope my body will adapt quickly.

Ok, I have things to do and people to see today! It's good to be home. Till next time...keep smiling :)

jet lagged

ok. it's 4:30am and i'm awake....i hate jet lag.... more to come later...i need to unpack...

Tea and Scones

Dear England,
This time tomorrow I will be sitting in an airplane and getting ready to take off back to America. Where did all the time go? I mean, seriously! My bags are almost completely packed and I've said bye to almost everyone. At the moment I just finished a scone and I'm drinking some tea...for the last time here.

Cheers for letting me stay and live in your country and for introducing me to awesome people. Even though I'm excited to go home, and get giddy at the very thought of being with my friends and family, I will miss this place. Yes, of course I'll come back and visit...just as soon as I start making some more money.

More nervous little habits started forming last night which made it hard for me to sleep. I'm still trying to decide if I should pull an all nighter tonight...or try to get some sleep. It's always a strange thing when you're changing time zones. Tomrrow will be the longest day ever! Basically I'll be gaining 7 hours to the normal 24-hour day...crazy.

I still have lots of things to do today, so it's time for me to go. The next time I write I'll be on American soil...damn...that's a nice thought!
Love,
Jess

Good luck to me

I don't believe in horoscopes, but this morning when I was checking my email I came across this:

Aquarius
January 20 - February 17
This is one of those days when you will be walking down the street, and all of a sudden you will notice a twenty-dollar bill in the gutter. This doesn't mean that you should go walking around town with your head down today, dear Aquarius. In fact, just the opposite is true. Keep your head held high at all times. Good luck will come to you when you least expect it. This positive energy will come in many different forms, so be open to everything that comes your way.

....I'm taking my last (and hardest) exam in less than an hour...

no time

Today was a typical English day...it's been raining since the morning. In a way it's kinda welcoming because this is how I will remember England, it was like this when I got here, and it's the same now that I'm leaving.

I have my last exam tomorrow morning, and I actually feel somewhat prepared for it. Hopefully I'll remember everything plus more when I actually have to write the essays and answer the short topic questions. The exam I'm taking is for my favorite class this year - Global Perspectives. I've learned SO much from it, and now I can actually form my own opinons and have some facts to back them up. Hopefully this won't be the end of my education on politics; I want to know more.

After my exam it's back to my house to finish packing. I think I'm going to be ok luggage wise...I HOPE it'll be ok... if not then...oh well.

Ok, there's too much going on at the moment, i have to go...

Longest weekend EVER

In my head the idea of leaving London at 10pm, arriving in Paris at 6:30AM, spending the whole day seeing the sights, leaving that same night at from Paris and arriving in London at sounded like a FANTASTIC cheap and fast idea...boy, oh boy, was I wrong...

The plan sounded so good to me because I planned on sleeping at night on the bus. It would have been fine and dandy except we were woken up ever two hours. The first time was a passport check...then we had to get off the bus and load a ferry...two hours later we had to get back on the bus...then two hours later get off in Paris. Sure, you can have two hour naps in between all that - but that didn't happen.

We got off in Paris and must have looked dead. Paris was a blur...I'd seen everything before so I just wanted to show the major sights to Karly and Chris as fast as possible. It was hot and I was tired. The 12 hour day in Paris somehow went by (we had to stop and see a movie because we needed to stop and get off our feet) and at 10pm we found ourselves back on the same bus we got off of earlier that morning.

The drive back to the UK was a little better sleep wise because I was so exhausted. Once we got back to London though, an hour earlier than we were supposed to, we had to wait another 5 hours for the bus to take us down to Bournemouth. I slept on that ride too.

Basically I'm tired of two things right now - Paris and busses. Surprisingly enough, I'm not tired of Chris. In the past 2 weeks I can only think of two arguments we've had. One was yesterday in the metro...we were yelling about who knew which stop was for the Louvre (I, of course, was right..).

Whew. It's been quite a journey. After I finish this update I'm going to take a much needed shower and then study for my exam on Thursday. The packing will commence either later tonight or tomorrow....

Oh yeah, the morning Chris and I were leaving Venice there was a song playing on an Italian MTV station and it hit me - hard. These are the lyrics and if you have a chance, try to listen to the song. It may not mean anything to you, but it means so much to me.

It's interesting though, when he sings "you" in the song I think of about 10 different people, there isn't just one person that springs to mind. It's everyone back home, my friends, my mom and dad, to some people I haven't seen in years...

......Four days......

"Home" - Michael Buble

Another summer day
Is come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
But I wanna go home
Mmmmmmmm

Maybe surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I just wanna go home
Oh I miss you, you know

And I've been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you
Each one a line or two
I'm fine baby, how are you?
Well I would send them but I know that it's just not enough
My words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that

Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I'm lucky I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I've got to go home

Let me go home
I'm just too far from where you are
I wanna come home

And I feel just like I'm living someone else's life
It's like I just stepped outside
When everything was going right
And I know just why you could not
Come along with me
But this was not your dream
But you always believe in me

Another winter day has come
And gone away
And even Paris and Rome
And I wanna go home
Let me go home

And I'm surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel alone
Oh, let go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

Let me go home
I've had my run
Baby, I'm done
I gotta go home
Let me go home
It will all right
I'll be home tonight
I'm coming back home

my feet hurt

London. Chris and I have been walking around this rather expensive city for the past two days and I have once again fallen in love with the place. There's just this great vibe I get from it. People are out walking around everywhere...it's a great atmosphere. Yesterday it was hotter than I was comfortable with, but I still managed to enjoy myself. I liked walking around Leiscter (spelled wrong) Square and the parks. I love how people just congregate outside of the pub until closing time. I love the way my knee is sore from walking around so much...with that said...I have to go and enjoy my last night in London. Tomorrow night Chris, Karly and I hop on a bus to Paris...I'll let you know how that goes.

....ONE WEEK FROM TODAY.....

a year ago today

May 27, 2004 was the day I had my knee surgery. It was the beginning of a very LONG and hard summer. Actually, last summer was not a good summer for me..everything seemed to go wrong. But, after 12 months of practically walking on egg shells, I'm feeling very confident in my knee. I no longer have to worry about randomly falling down or not being able to stand up because it hurts so much. All of those physical therapy sessions and nights of sleeping on the pull-out bed were actually worth something. I would write more about how happy I am that now, a year later my knee feels fantastic, but I need my sleep. Chris and I are going to London tomorrow afternoon for the weekend (and then Paris on Monday) and neither of us are packed at all... and i'm exhausted at the moment. I'll write more when I can.

on two hands

10 days. I leave in a week and a half. It's SO strange how I have such a mixed feeling about going home. Don't get me wrong, I want to go home so bad I can't sit still half the time...but then there's this other side of me who has LOVED the independence I've had out here. I've loved doing things on my own (like cooking and traveling). Actually I think I've really enjoyed the fact that I did something I set out to do and I had my adventure. It wasn't someone elses trip...it was mine. I don't want that to end! I don't want to go home and get stuck in a rut, I've had too much of a good time out here.

I also don't want to say bye to my new friends out here. I'm SO tired of saying bye to people!!! Tonight I'm going to a going away party where I will have to say bye to the people who've been closest to me this year. It will be a nice night - no boys (because frankly, all the guys I've met out here have been nothing but arrogant and trouble - 90% of them have been like this...) - but it will be with my girls!

I've been back in Enland for only a day and I already miss Italy. On the plane ride back here I was trying to think of different ways that would bring me back to Italy next summer. Basically they all include me working about 40 hours a week without a break this whole year... Italy is THAT enchanting though...I might do it.

Last night Chris made me, Katie and Bertha dinner! It was SO good!!! He made chicken Parmasean (yes, i spelled that wrong...oh well). Hee hee I can't wait to get home and cook in a nice kitchen!

The last time I wrote I said we were going to the Cinque Terre. We ended up going there for an entire day; we had a blast. That place is amazing, it's SO pretty out there! We just wondered around and walked along the coast. We even made it back to Florence JUST in time for our free dinner at the hostel - perfect day, perfect timing.

The next day we caught our train to Venice. Venice...how do I want to describe it? Well, Venice isn't as I thought it would be. Just like Paris, I was expecting it to be some cheesy romantic city. I thought, before I got there, that I wouldn't want to wander the streets with my brother... Well as it turns out, Venice was just a tourist trap. It was beautiful and I will go back, don't get me wrong...but I think there are better hidden treasures around the country.

I am VERY glad I went there. Chris and I had enough time to check out two islands north of Venice called Muranno and Burrano..now those little towns were amazing! They were almost too perfect. Every street looked like it was the set for some movie, or like we were walking along the streets in Epcot in Disneyland. I say this because the crowds were very limited there and the colors of these buildings were amazing! Bright blue, green, red, pink, yellow, etc. homes all together. It was brilliant!!!

I took over 300 pictures in Italy!! I actually would have taken more, but my memory card got full...so my picture taking was limited towards the end. It's awesome to look back on them now. I can't wait to get back to Italy...can't wait!!!

I have my second exam this afternoon, it's over marketing...and I hope I do ok. I'm not too worried about it. I probably should be, but I'm not. Tomorrow afternoon Chris and I are going up to London for the weekend and then Paris on Monday. I'm looking forward to it...you know what I'm also looking forward to??? Packing everything up (some how) and getting on that plane the morning of Juen 4th!!!

....adios....

change o' plans

....change of plans, going to Cinque Terra tomorrow - I'm SO excited!!!! Florence was AMAZING today. SO much to tell..but there are people waiting for the internet and I need sleep because we're leaving early... more tales to come :)
Jess

Rome part two

Good news...my cold is getting MUCH better. BUT, now whenever I cough my lower back hurts since I've been coughing so much. Oh well..at least I can somewhat breathe again!

Good news/bad news... my skin has FINALLY, after almost a year, seen some sun. BUT, I wasn't expecting for it to be sunny yesterday and I didn't prepare for it, so now I am sunburned. I'm hoping it'll turn into a tan soon, but it's pretty darn red right now, plus the fact that the rest of me is so pale and white doesn't help anything.

A bird pooped on me while I was standing outside of St. Peter's Basillica today. Apparently that means very good luck in Italy.

There was a metro/bus strike today and so Chris and I ended up taking a taxi back from the Vatican. Well, the traffic ended up being insane so we paid the driver and then started walking (we left our map in the hostel by the way) about 1 minute later I realized Chris was missing something. "Chris, where's your camera?" He didn't have to say anything, his look said it all...he started SPRINTING in the direction of the cab. I was shooting up prayers like nobody's business that somehow he'd find the taxi we were in.

About five minutes later I saw him walking towards me...with his camera in hand. Talk about a sigh of relief!

Lots of other things to talk about...but I'm too tired. We're leaving for Florence at 8:30 tomorrow morning so we're gonna have a chill night tonight...and hopefully find some good place for dinner tonight!!!

Ciao.