What I've been doing...instead of blogging

Well, well, well. It is almost 2010 and I am approaching the twenty-first year of my life....whoa! And since I have written I have successfully and oh-so graciously completed 3 months probation for a wretched speeding ticket I got back in April driving from Athens to McDonough through the god-forsaken county of Walton (and when I mean god-forsaken, I mean god-forsaken...the Wal-Mart closed, need I say more). I passed all of my drug tests, haha, took a defensive driving course where they actually served us a free pizza buffet, and completed 24 hours of community service in which I wore a glamorous orange vest and picked up the trash of my fellow Henry countians in the relentless Atlanta sun after clocking in 8 hours of kitchen duty at my beloved Stockbridge Dwarf House--a fancy Chick-fil-A for those of you confused out there. I survived a near-death experience in my little Henry Fonda the Honda after driving home from my boyfriend's house the day before I left for Disney World in June...and can you believe I still have my license? I watched my best friend's band play for thousands of people at the Lenox Fourth of July in Atlanta, cried when one of my closest girl cousins finally married her college-sweetheart, got horribly sunburned in Hilton Head, moved into my own apartment in Athens, and still managed to see my closest friends at Starbucks at least once a week!

And that was just the summer!

My mother says I always say this, but my first semester as a junior was the hardest semester ever! I only took 12 hours of classes, but boy did it seem like I took twice that much! On Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays I only had my Studio III class where we completed two projects throughout the semester: a frat-house renovation into a law-firm of our choice and a mid-century dry cleaners turned to a web design firm with the integration of an alternate program. I would tell you how I did, but we still do not have our grades. Surprise, surprise.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I had a History of Interior Design I class at 8:00 AM and after that back-to-back Meng classes as dessert. Now, I do not believe I have ever mentioned Meng before, but he is infamous around our studio. He is an immigrant from Singapore and previously served in the Chinese military. Being the only one in his family in the United States, Meng dedicates his life to our program, to our dismay at times, and does everything he can to teach us how to succeed in our field. Did I mention he was once in the Chinese military?? But, all of the challenges he puts us through, the seemingly futile A's we pray we achieve, the meltdowns and tears cried on his behalf, the unyielding criticism we believe is un-called for, is hopefully not a glimpse of the rest of our lives. Nevertheless, Meng sure has prepared us for the defending of our concepts and designs with propriety and through his misinterpreted discouragement has given us the confidence we need to progress in the design field. And for that, I thank him.

Putting classes aside, I finally got a job that did not include food service. I had the privilege of working in Sanford Stadium as a Suite Ambassador during every home game (well, almost) for the Georgia Bulldog's football season. I made eye contact with UGA President Michael Adams, shook Sonny Purdue's hand, saw a glimpse of Phil Mickelson, had a run-in with the wife of the Athletic Director (offending her because of my lack of knowledge of her existence on this planet,) and had an entire elevator conversation with Herschel Walker about how he held the door open for my mother when she attended UGA at my age. And his reply: "Man, I am a nice guy." He was quite charming. And huge! Working at the stadium was quite an experience, as was attempting to get to and from campus on the legendary Saturdays in Athens, and it worked out nicely in that I got to watch my boyfriend play the xylophone and timpani drums in the Redcoat Marching Band. Though I couldn't hear the music, he was the most entertaining and handsome timpani player out there!

And now, I am sitting in my dining room at home on New Year's Eve blogging about why I haven't blogged and trying to figure out how I am going to my best friend's house and then to Underground to hear them headline the Kenny's Alley Stage and then back home again. I think we have concluded to ride Marta. Happy New Year!