in the beginning ...

my last day of class seems like a month ago already. how can this be? i just got here? i just started? this is only the beginning! well... the end my term at central saint martins was hectic, stressful, and a blast all at once. projects due ... trip plans to be made ... parties to attend ... friends to say goodbye to ... rooms to pack up ... places to go one more time. a beginning and an end at the same time ... and all the contradictions that accompany each.

so it was off to greece with kp, jen, and kori. big plans ... but not much planned. the usual college student excursion. our flight left at 6:30 am ... meaning we would have to be at the airport approximately 2 hours prior departure. seeing as it was the end of the term and their were social functions to attend, we decided the perfect solution would be to bring our luggage to the party ... have a little fun ... say goodbye to everyone ... take a cab to the airport from the party ... and go to greece. great plan. great. and it was. celebrated miss piepers 21st birthday with a couple bottles of wine and a few brightly colored roller suitcases (turquoise, cobalt, lime green, and lilac ... no joke). perfect.

we landed in athens early in the afternoon. gorgeous. sunny. warm. nice breeze. smelly hostel (roughly salami and wet dog). good food. great sights. off to a good start.






two nights in athens and then it was off to santorini. an 8 hour ferry (cheaper than the 3 hour super duper fast speedy something or other) and we were there. again... beautiful. warmer. not the usual tourist season ... but that's a good thing, right? for the most part it was ... minus the fact that it got cold ... and then it rained (1 out of supposed 3 days out of the year that it does) ... and then the island shut down. in the end we had an amazing time. random. but amazing. we definitely saw a santorini that the usual visitor does not. from donkeys to a sketchy local bar to the 4 of us squeezing into the tiny rental car of 2 girls we met from jersey and driving then entire length of the island.






black sand beaches ... red sand beaches. santorini boasts a gorgeous coast.







but this was not the end.

hyde... and seek.

so i was talking to my dad and angie on skype today and angie mentioned how when she lived in london she would always go and walk through hyde park. i realized i had only walked past hyde but never through... and thought "what better way to spend the end of a beautiful sunday afternoon." a 35 min tube ride (this may have something to do with why i hadn't walked through yet) brought me to the far edge of the park. while the "lakes" hardly live up to the standards of a minnesota lake, the park overall was beautiful... and just the sort of thing i needed.







things have been insanely busy... in a good way, but busy still nonetheless. my first instinct before i left the house to go to the park was to call someone to go with me. why? i left by myself. i'm a social creature... but london has taught me how to be alone with a ton of people. it's one thing to be alone in your room on your computer (which i've also spent a lot of time doing... hahaha) and another thing to DO things alone. it's relatively new for me. i like it. thanks london.

first there was one...



then there were two...



and then there were three.



ok, but seriously. the whole "two swans facing eachother forming a heart" thing... turns out while it looks romantic... it's actually quite aggresive. i was standing behing this fence and was like, "oh my god.. cute!" ... and then they basically started barking at eachother. then the third one came over. there was biting of feathers. in the end... they all just stood there. i guess it's spring time. they'll figure it out soon enough.



london loves its daffodils. i love them too. they manage to look happy, silly, loud, orderly, refined, and quiet all at the same time.

family times.

so... i should probably let them tell everyone... but i'm excited and don't want to do work... so i'm going to make an announcement kind of thing. my family is growing, again. i'm getting another momma and sistah. not replacements... just additions. sweet, huh!? that's right daddio and angie are getting married! yay! i love you both and am so happy you are together. and how cool is it that i now have a sister with my same name... that doesn't happen too often.

how about some photos? (from kit kat's graduation)






hahahaha ha ha.



miss hannah rose with the jensen cousinz. love you girlie.

LOVE YOU ALL!

attention please.

just in case you didn't know. i love london.

the other night

i sat down to "catch you guys up" on everything that's happened since the 22nd... and then i woke up the next morning... my computer open next to me in bed. it was then i realized there is no way i am going to tell you everything that's been going on lately... and really... you probably wouldn't want to read it. so how about some highlights?

PARIS: we took a BUS. not just a bus... an overnight bus. we met a rock band, drank a bottle of wine, ate a bunch of junk food, and that was all within the first two hours of the bus trip. i almost don't even need to say anything else about the rest of the trip because that was just so damn funny/awesome/absurd... but i will anyway. we did it all: the louvre (at 9am when they opened after not sleeping at all on a bus... bad idea), the champs elyse, the arc de triomphe, the eiffel tower (all the way to the top=windy and cold... but oh so perdy), the musée d'orsay, baguettes on the go, the cemetery where jim morrison and oscar wilde among many others are buried, the moulin rouge (3 blocks away from our hostel), an adorable hostel (with great beds), awesome coffee, a terrible waitress, multiple packs of evil 14 year old french boys (i won't even go there... grrrr... watch out boys!) walking, laying, wine, conversations, pictures, pictures, pictures. it was a great weekend... and a great bus ride home.










LOUIS VUITTON: what you've all been waiting for. well... what can i say. kelsey and i did not move onto the next round. total bummer. but, we were both happy with what we had come up with and presented. the only problem was, everyone who participated in the brief did amazing stuff. louis had a pretty great deal coming to csm. basically got to pick the best out of the best. i'm ok with that. we weren't the best... but we weren't the worst either. and at least i'll have it for my portfolio... but let's not talk about that anymore.

CURRENT WORK: focusing on a brief for "dove" and "images of disability" for d&ad (design & art direction) which is an international competition for students (there is also one for professionals). pretty much all of our work at school is based off of these briefs. if you do a good job they promote submitting it to the competition. my tutor (remember the evil frenchman) thinks i should submit mine. i was shocked when he said that. i guess he's not so bad after all. i'm glad to find that out.

FUN TIMES: aside from all the "serious work" ... i've managed to have a little fun.

for david's birthday kels, robert, david, alex, and i saw a comedy show (hilarious) and then cut the line... and got in the club for free. good job david.




all was good until the boys stole our french fries and then ripped our directions home in half. kelsey got angry.



AND NOW: i'm basically finishing up the term ... yeah i know... crazy. i'm done with briefs THIS FRIDAY and then next week are just assesments. i don't believe it. i DO NOT believe it. i'm sad to leave. i really am. i feel so comfortable here. when i'm crammed into a corner reading a book on the tube on the way home from class, i find myself thinking "oh cute... tourists on the tube." and then i realize i consider myself something other than a tourist. thank god. it's one thing to tell yourself you don't WANT to be a tourist... but a whole other thing to realize that you really are not. good. very good.

PROM 2007: "team america" (which is what the photo department named our group of american girls here on study abroad) are throwing a prom for the graphic design program tomorrow. free punch (spiked?). i kind of think the photo guys just wanted an excuse to drink at school. they do it anyway... but this is more festive. glad to help guys.

ok... longest post... ever? i'll be better next time.

p.s. i'm going to india for a month. oh my god.