a smattering of tidbits

Yesterday, it rained with the force and fury of a coed's involuntary purge on the walk home from the first party of the quarter.
but it was gorgeous.

over the weekend, we had a breif shower, and while most people ducked under doorways, i hopped outside to check it out. that was nothing compared to yesterday, however - like clockwork, as classes ended it started pouring. My final contained water dive involved intermittent showers, and the final heave-ho of the clouds began during the 10 minute water-treading test. i loved it, though, since it was still ridiculously warm, and rare are the chances to be rained on comforable in minimal clothing.

Less than an hour ago, i had my last classroom diving session, and aced the 50 question exam. a relief, but now i'll be waiting until saturday to get to the ocean.


and now, on to the past; my weekend/recent thoughts, in bullets:

* best and worst meals:
egg/bean/veggie soup (fantastic!), a whole plate of boxed macaroni (first thing i couldn't finish)

* cangrejo is a much better word than crab. those spunky little critters deserve it.

* my suspicions have been confirmed: the bite on my ankles are likely equal parts mosquito and ant. eugh.

* i was able to help out a bit at the house, as a gringa - with cristian's english homework, mostly pronunciation, and a friend of erika's wanted to know the name of the actor in pretty woman. lo and behold, richard gere is one of the few names i can remember (why?..)

* i finished a book - adventure divas by holly something. won't bother with a synopsis as you have the internet at your fingertips (hah!) but i will say i enjoyed it. i now am back to the tao of physics by fritjof kapra, and freedom from the known, by ____ (will get back to you with proper spelling)

* i am trying to teach myself to write in italics

* if the early radar guns used by police cause multiple cases of prostate cancer before they were modified to be 'safe', what oh what will be the turning point for cellular phones? if they're all over this town (way more common than on lopez), then there can't be many places left without them. . . goodness that's a lot of vibration..

* my new teacher is wonderful - it{s only me in the class, but in just 2 days we've managed to discuss (stricktly in spanish) poetic licence in relation to conjugation (why can't i say 'i rain', or 'they snowed?'), my ideas of 'what it is that i'm doing' (localizaton of food/farm-to-cafeteria/health/nutrition/marine biology/creative writing..?), same-sex marriage and sexism, institutionalized racism, the american electoral system, what does the word 'punk' mean, anyway?, and more. phew. complicated enough in english. she's great, and i come away from each class feeling much more comfortable with the language. (this wears off a bit as i navigate through town and other conversations, but things are still going well)


*my only issue with my room here is my dependence on bedside tables . . . luckily, the bed is large enough to devote a side to my books, jounal, pens, waterbottle, etc, so i have avoided making a mess of the floor. (also i am getting used to folding my clothes --what?? why? ugh.. hangers are much easier-- and actualy keeping them tidy. hah.)

* i got to try some fruit last week that have the texture of grapes, with a large bitter semilla (pit/seed), and skin/rind that look like large red space-dust-mites. excellent.

* my skin has started to changed color, and no burns so far! the rain provided a break from sunscreen, finally..

more soon, with love..