Summertime Sadness and Many Shattered Glasses

Summer passed fairly quickly despite the full-time and working part-time.
Paid summer internships are a gift from the career heavens.

Tree had many gigs and I many banquets to serve, fake smiles to crack at lushes and their idiotic jokes. Sirs, I know funny and that is something you are not...money cannot buy wit.

A stolen purse incident at what had been a most wonderful night... Silly banters and inappropriate advances from a colleague during a night of after-shift drinks. The mundane and extraordinary combining to make another interesting summer - never a dull moment. This whole "adult" thing is a slow process...

I made it home for the good ol' county fair and saw friends I had not seen in a while, as well as made a few new acquaintances.

Summer has been a transitional time for the past two years - a full-time internship + a part-time job and balancing the social life most young adults in their early 20's crave. I don't feel like a "real" adult just yet. What is a real adult? For starters, they have their own health insurance...

This past year has certainly been one of change. I'm 20lbs lighter than when I came home from London, no small accomplishment. It's not just the physical that has changed, though...mentally, psychologically, emotionally...I'm not that frightened little girl. I know what I want, even if I've been the only thing holding me back at times.
As Lovely told me, "It's going to be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.

My senior year is going to be a calendar year, and not the typical fiscal school year, the fiscal part coming from loans and tuition. I have a single room waiting for me for my last few months as an undergraduate and it's exciting and scary at the same time. I'm ready to face the crazy, the only crazy I'll be putting up with being my hair.

Je suis une blonde maintenant.

History Buffs can be both impressive and annoying

My Fajer has bestowed upon me his love of history and its significance on the world, with particular interest in the Civil War and World War II. Coming from a partial military background, this comes as no surprise. My Granddad was one of the few to survive from the 32nd Airborne, my uncle went to Vietnam, and my Fajer went all over Europe as a surveyor with special knowledge that kept him from going into Berlin, a place we hope to visit together within the next two years. My Gramps served during WWII as well.

Genealogy has always been quite fascinating...do you know from whence you came? The tales of those who braved the ship to come to this crazy land?

Harper's Ferry was the first stop - and such a beautiful day for it. I was not quite sure what to expect, but it was just a field. That is what I came to...I'm not sure why I expected some grandiose display, but in looking back, I'm glad there was not. I've heard of places that lose their historical significance when combined with people trying to get a profit from it. Leave the spirits free to roam their land.

I'm sorry, that's not a ghost, but a blog on my iPhone 5's camera

Traveling off the beaten path, I found
a lovely place to journal down yonder

A brief pitstop for a restroom [HURRAY for America's free public toilets!] revealed a few more gems. Passings of Civil War brigades, where quarrels and squatters' quarters were had.

The Antietam Battlefields were vast. Naturally, there was a visitor's center and of course, one is supposed to pay to visit the battlefields. I may have perhaps overlooked this and scampered off, intimidated by tourists as I am...

Again, not ghosts...camera.

I also attempted to find the house from the Blair Witch Project movie, but alas, a local told me it does not actually exist...ugh. I did find a Topless Maid service in Towson, Maryland, though.

The Winterthur Museum in Winterthur, Delaware was hosting a special Downton Abbey Exhibit. Being a fan of the show, I knew I simply had to see it with my own eyes and appreciate the delicate work that went into each and every costume. So intricately researched, designed, and assembled...a few of my favorite pieces:

I don't want these adventures to end... It just goes to show one of all the things to explore, even closeby. Despite my longing for Europe, I'm content with exploring what these parts still have to offer.

16 States and 11 Countries Part II

New England, New England....certainly not a "new" England in my opinion, yet the name sticks. Sorry, but you have nothing on my brief home...

My Tree and I went off on another adventure! The freedom to simply go off after finagling schedules and planning at the optimal level - just enough to have an inkling of what we're doing with plenty of free time for exploration - is the best way to go!

First on the docket: Sleepy Hollow, New York, to pay homage to Washington Irving!

Off to Connecticut, which was more of a pit-stop. Traffic is the worst part of travel and it had me longing for efficient public transportation as my eyes began to water and my bum grew ever numb from sitting in the car for so long.

House of the Seven Gables

 Eventually we made it to Salem, Massachusetts. Traffic....that's all I'll say....Tree slept in the car which was a bit of a bummer because I would have liked the company since I had another person with me on one of my crazy adventures for once. My Sleeping Beauty awoke and his excitement only increased and strengthened mine, balancing the fatigue I kept fighting. For not doing much except for directing my small vessel of a car, it's often surprising how one can feel after several hours...

We lucked out and Salem had a grand festival going on. It was warm out, but beautiful and worth the long, winding drive through tolls and bridges. The views from the car were enough to keep me going.

Are you, are you, coming to the tree?
They've strung up a man they say who murdered three.

A late start, but we made it to the coast in Maine and hiked along the beach. Pretty flowers and sunshine tucked away in a little section of town. 7 hours until the homeland...

First Jail

La playa

New Hampshire and Vermont were my favorites. The trees seemed alive with their foliage gently swaying in the breeze, crimson and golden, both wholesome colors. I wish I had pictures of these trees to share, but I was a good girl and did not shoot [photos] and drive. As they say, half the fun is the journal itself.

Rudyard Kippling's abode

Onward and out to my hometown, or as I lovingly call it, Bumfuck PA. You can't change your roots and I call it such in an endearing way. Home is where one can take their pants off and feel at ease, as well as enjoy Buffalo Chicken Dip. Tree went to bed shortly after a late snack, but per usual, I stayed awake with my thoughts and woke up early. I find this a habit of mine even though I could likely use as much shut-eye as I can get....

<Borrowed pic of the iconic castle not too far away>

And so we made it. New England conquered but for Rhode Island. Plans are already in the making for a solo trip to this little state.

16 States and 11 Countries

Current travel statistics [counting my home state and country in there as well] with more to come...I'm quite sad I did not make it to Rhode Island during the insanely fast-paced weekend trip through New England, but alas, traffic was horrendous as we neared Salem.

[excuse my chubby knubs]

Many adventures taken this summer...I wanted to travel, and I did just that. In PA alone, Shartlesville, the church of the Blue Eyed Six, Gettysburg [I haven't been here since I was a wee lass], Bird-In-Hand, Intercourse [ironically enough, is a quaint little town], and Blue Ball.

On one curiously slow week, I packed a bag and drove up to Niagara Falls to see the beautiful World Wonder and all of her glory. 'Twas a chilly day down on the water, but a gorgeous day to explore and take in the sights. The drive across the bridge was a nightmare to get into Canada and they did not even bother to stamp my passport, to my chagrin.

However, I met some wonderful people and how could the night not have been something wild when the penultimate chapter of my night is: "we stayed until last call and the bar had turned its lights out, 2 Germans, a Brit, a New Zealander, a Canadian, and I?" Wanderlust temporarily satiated.

Adventure is out. Find it. Take chances. Live your life.

April Adventures (Flashback 10)

Perhaps these flashbacks are becoming superfluous, but 10 seems like a nice rounded number at which to stop...

In looking back, so much has happened, yet when placing words to pixelized screen seems a near impossible task, a summation so easily done, but not nearly as satisfying as picking my brain apart for memories, clues, ramblings...

April is always a busy time, true even now, a year after these initial endeavors were experienced....

April 2014 was no exception: hanging with friends in Baltimore to support their band, Sigma Alpha Pi induction, cooking for a new [this word does not feel right] beau, tears of joy and sorrow, VALLEYFEST, and almost getting a concussion [I mentioned my reckless behavior, no?].

Paradrei = drei Freunden und eine guten Nacht

When we kinda-sorta-maybe-just an inkling like-ish someone, we do crazy things, such as plan a surprise visit to a shady little garage in downtown York with the help of the aforementioned someone's roommate.

The night ended with: "we should probably leave, like right now, before we hear gunshots."

Fajer and I off on an adventure to the shooting range. The new 9mm packed quite the whollop of kickback...not that I'm complaining. The zombies on our targets never knew what was coming ;)

Love and Theft came for this year's ValleyFest and dang. Quite a lovely crowd - not too overbearing nor rowdy. I have limited country tastes but I have noticed that country concerts, while lively, are also contained and not as crazy as others...

Perks to being in this committee: being the runner for some hotties.

Sammy Arriaga and I became fast friends.

The end of the night ended with a meet-and-greet with the country stars. I'd call it a pretty damn good night.

<please don't touch me like that with your hand on your crotch>

Inner thoughts....Mike Stud was...bearable.

These are where my thoughts trail off...nothing too noteworthy, I guess, until Canada. However, friends are friends and are wonderful always.

End of the year VF dinner with my lovely co-chairman of Children's Activities

Luscious Nickove + Drop Out Julian

Kinda sorta maybe dating a rockstar

Sassy Sasquatch with Senioritis (Flashback 9)

In looking back at these first few weeks back, I was indeed, a wild child. Feeling as though I could sink no lower after wrecking my car [I now can identity with the expression of being hit by a Mack truck], I may have been a tad overzealous and none-too-caring for myself.

C'est ma vie.

Lovely came up to see EchoSmith(!) as part of the MTV's Artist to watch tour that started with last year's ValleyFest. VP to boot last year! Mega feels and nerves - he managed to bring me back down to that shy 13 yr old I was when I first met he when he grabbed my hand, the years of confidence I had acquired since being shattered like glass upon the cold, hard cement floor.

He was no knight in shining armor, but held me together as my happiness began to dwindle with the return to the States. Wobbly, sure, but at least the jelloid within my body stayed barred up with the stability our friendship brought.

Ring Pop Hubby

Now a self-classified chubby wubby, my confidence still faltered as I continued my plight against the ungodly weight I had gained from my travels. Running in the rain and in the cold darkness, a few trips in said darkness, and sore muscles seemed like a small price to pay in my effort to slim back down...

English girls reunited!

Making new friends and keeping touch with the ones who never lost touch despite the distance sure helped in with my acceptance that I could be happy in the States again...even without the haggis and Tubourgs.

The Italian Stallion.

Good friends are the crux of life and a crutch for the bad times. Grateful, happy for new friends, yet left with a nagging feeling of insecurity and uncertainty of what the future brings academically, professionally, romantically...

Bearded Girlfriend & Beardless Girlfriend off on a platonic adventure