Hello. It's been a while. Since I'm venturing back to school soonish, I thought I'd do some looking-back. Especially since this has been a fairly stellar summer, in comparison to others.

This summer, I finished my first triathlon. And I didn't come in last place. It was actually fun - a word I wasn't expecting to use for the experience - and I can't wait to do another one.

I was a manager at Idlewild for my first summer. And I think that went really, really well. I hired all my friends, and we had an amazing time together - Monday nights became our regularly scheduled time to do things (oh hi, today is Monday.) We also went our first summer in a long time being relatively drama-free. And that's always nice.

I became closer to some of my friends than I ever have been, and I am so grateful to have them in my life. I really don't know what I would do if I didn't know them. I've laughed more this summer than I have in a very long time, I think, and that is thanks to those people.

I also made some amazing new friends. Some people let us down this summer, but others are people I definitely want in my life for a long time.

I (recently) discovered the beautiful voice of Zee Avi, who has quickly become one of my favorite musicians.

For the first time, I'm actually dreading the end of working at Idlewild and the beginning of school. I'm always counting down the days till I can stop working and move to Pittsburgh, but now I'm only looking forward to coming home on weekends to work Hallowboo.

All of this is about as sappy as I get. But this summer was fantastic, and I really needed to get that down.

 I find so much pleasure every day from seeing the school bus drive past my house.

Yesterday was spent laying in bed, eating ice cream, listening to the rain and a lecture on Buddhism. I've made it a goal for the past two days to be lazy and relax, and have succeeded with gold stars. I've been doing nothing but watching movies and episodes of Lost. Mom and I ordered Chinese food for dinner yesterday.

Today and tomorrow are busy days. I already stopped at Idlewild today to unlock a door for my boss. In half an hour, Christina will be coming over and we're going to meet our whole work crew for a picnic day at Linn Run (why do we always go on picnics on rainy days?). Then tomorrow I'm going to Linn Run again, this time with Valerie - the weather is looking very nice for tomorrow, so hopefully I can get a bit of a tan on my feet before my Idlewild sock tan starts to come in. After Linn Run, I'm going to the movies with Tracey - I can't even remember the last time I saw her, so I'm really excited about that. And after the movies we're going to the bar, and I'm getting my drink on! (wow I did not just say that) And I'm going to follow these two days of wonderful activity with two more days of work.

Work has been exhausting, but I love it. I'm ridiculously organized and have almost everything under control - surprised? I kind of am. I also hired most of my friends, so I can to work with people I love all day, which is lovely.

My hair is turning red again. I found wonderful new music. I love summer more than ever.

So, I changed my schedule. Again. Because I'm awesome.

I'm quite pleased with it. Three English classes, two of which already have reading lists posted, and they are... daunting. But it shall be fun. I'm particularly excited about the Victorian Novel class, because a guest professor from the University of California is teaching it, and he sounds wonderful. Just reading his course descriptions, it seems like he's going to be a great professor.

Today I already ran, and right now I'm working on schedules and calendars and such for work, which starts Thursday (!!!!holycowwtf?!@O). Tomorrow is training, which should be pretty short, and then I might go into Greensburg to continue the search for the perfect polo shirt. My work-related "to do" list is becoming longer and longer with every minute that goes by, so I need to get some of that done today. First on the list: Call Mark. Which is what I'll be doing right now.

I start work this week? What? It should be among the more interesting first days of work I've ever had, to be honest. Training is on Wednesday, and as of right now we have no staff besides Katee and I, no uniforms, and we haven't filled out our paperwork or contracts. Since we have two booths to run, there will be no one to give us breaks. This is going to be the most fantastic disaster.

I need to turn off the Lost soundtrack and get back to real life. I just don't want to. Letting go is too hard.

Is there a photographer's version of writer's block? I'm fairly certain I have it. Nothing good has been coming out of that lens.

Swimming now, I think. Or running? Something involving exercise. Fare thee well!

 I'm pretty sure it would be impossible to even attempt to coherently express my feelings about the Lost season finale.

So I'm not even going to try.

 Lost finale begins in an hour and 34 minutes. THE SUSPENSE WILL KILL ME. I hope Richard is in every scene (yeah this won't happen, but a girl's gotta dream) and lots of confused!Ben, because that's adorable.

It's windy here. Tomorrow has a whopping 80% chance of rain, so what are Katee, Christina and I doing? Going on a picnic, of course! Picnics in the rain are just lovely, I think.

Today I had my hair cut, and dyed back to brown. It's boring again. Also, I hate shopping. I walked around the mall for an hour looking for: 1.) A dark blue polo shirt, and 2.) A simple, lightweight, button-down shirt with sleeves that roll up. I finally found a decent polo, but the button-down was a disaster. I'm baffled that not a single store in the mall had what I was looking for, especially when I see everyone and their 5 cousins wearing them. Seriously? Did everyone just buy them all before I got there?

 Summer is a success so far. I have a job that's going to pay better than any I've ever had, as well as become my life for the next few months. I've been running almost every day. I'm going to start swimming as soon as I buy a new bathing suit, since mine seems to have gotten lost in the process of moving home.

I also had the most wonderful day a few days ago. Started with running on the tredmill in the morning, since it was raining. Then in the afternoon, I drove up to Laurel Mountain for some hiking, and went to Beam Rocks. Hiked down to the bottom of the valley, then back up. Then I laid on the edge of the cliff and got some sun. It was perfect - a nice breeze, no one around, absolute silence except for some birds having a ball in a small puddle a few feet away form me. I wish it was always like that up there, with no one around - that's pretty rare though, so I got lucky.

Last night I had a surprisingly long dream in Russian. Not very good Russian, mind you. It was more like me trying to remember Russian, and failing for the most part.

Today is a shopping day. Now that I officially have my job, I have to stock up on socks and other summer supplies. I'm actually excited to start work - strange, yes? I never thought I'd say it, but I really miss Idlewild, and I can't wait to get back there. I think this year will be so much better than the others.

Grades are in. I did pretty snazzy, I must say. 

Intro to Physical Anthropology: B-
Early Modern Literatures in English: A-
Chinese and Western Poetry: A-
Elementary Russian 2: A

My jaw just about hit the floor when I got my physical anthro grade, as I had been expecting at most a C. In our 200 question final, I'd estimate that I guessed about 150 of the answers.

Yesterday was wonderful. Katee and I went to see Adventureland, which was the most horrible movie I've seen in a long time. I loved it. Terrible acting, zero plot, the most awkward lead character ever, but oh it was amazing, and I can't wait to see it again. It's also put me in the most refreshing and wonderful music mood of Sonic Youth and The Velvet Underground and Yo La Tengo.

Tomorrow (oh it better not rain) will be spent at Linn Run with Katee. We may be brainstorming for a little film we want to make this summer. This is how all summers should start - terrible movies that make you excited to go back to work, and hiking, sun and movie plot discussions with friends. We should bring popsicles.

 Hello summer! Yesterday I turned in my last essay for the semester, for Chinese and Western Poetry, and afterwards took my last final (Russian) (and yes, I had ANOTHER Saturday final, because whoever comes up with the finals schedules hates the Russian department). I then walked over to Rita's to buy some celebratory gelato, came home, and took a freaking nap. Now I'm all rested up and having some tea and cupcakes for breakfast (don't judge me, I'm out of food and money).

Today is filled with all sorts of exciting things. I'm going out with Robin, Valerie, Christina and Katie to see a high school production of Les Miserables, then we're all going to Applebee's. Hurrah! And when I get back to I get to start the exciting process of packing. My mom is coming in tomorrow for the first trip in moving my stuff home - we think it will take about two or three trips, so I'll be finally moved by Wednesday. And THEN I get to start the exciting process of finding a summer job, since the one I had been depending on fell through because of funding issues. I'm going to stop at a local garden center on my way home, because they're hiring part-time cashiers. And if I get that, I can either look for a full-time job or just get another part-time one. All I'm sure of is that Idlewild is not even being counted as an option. I am not allowing my life to once again go to crap over a summer job.

Now, time to get ready and go meet the girls for the bus!

 The end of this gone-to-crap semester is imminent. All that separates me from glorious summer is a Russian oral exam (today), one essay (easy), and my Russian final (eh). Yesterday at the lovely time of 8 am, I took my Physical Anthropology final. I will not be surprised in the least if I failed it, even though I don't see how I could have been more prepared. Our TA (who wrote the exam) told us to study "big concept" things. I did that, and I also went into studying details - not too in depth, because I have a life, but I felt prepared. Her "big picture" exam, however, was 200 questions of details I didn't even have in my notes or study guides. Upon exiting that auditorium of hell in which I took the exam, I promptly called my mommy and cried, of course.

What's been new? Concerts! I saw Andrew Bird for the second time a few weeks ago, which was lovely, of course. "Natural Disaster" was wonderful, I was so happy that he played it. And last week I saw a free concert with The New Pornographers, who I've been wanting to see for the longest time. They played every single song I wanted them to play, including Bleeding Heart Show, which was just as amazing live as I had always imagined it.

Last night I was walking home and was overcome with an overwhelming urge to lay in the grass and stare at  the sky. Alas, the ground was wet, an every bench I came across was also splattered with rain. Maybe today will bring better luck, although last night the weather was perfect for laying in the grass - cool, breezy, blue skies.

I've been listening to Iron & Wine and Andrew Bird like it's no one's business, and drinking peppermint tea constantly. I've also embarked on the long journey of rewatching all the seasons of Lost, and so far have completed season one. Aside from all of that, my life is as boring as always. Will surely update when something undeniably exciting happens.