Book Shmook Nook

{Oscar Wilde, providing words of wisdom}

The night before my classes started, my parents surprised me with a late birthday gift. As documented here I was in London for my birthday so I didn’t celebrate with my family.  Sitting on my bed was a beautifully wrapped present and I had no idea what it could possibly be.  Apparently my dad had the brilliant idea to get me a Nook, since I love reading and I’m commuting to school this quarter.  On my list of absolutely favorite things to do, curling up with a good book while I block out the world and lose track of time is somewhere in the top ten.  As I already mentioned here I often stay up into the wee hours of the morning because I can’t put a book down, and even though I think I’m crazy half the time, I love doing that.   One time last year my best friend and roommate had to read The Vagina Monologues for her women studies class.  I had always heard about them but never read them so I had a look at them.  Then she left to do something and I was supposed to put them down and go back to doing work.  I didn’t.  Instead I read the whole thing in a few hours and neglected all my work that Saturday.  See what I mean? And considering the Hunger Games incident I’m concerned that I’m not going to get any work done this term. Regardless of my lack of self-control, I had never really looked at a Nook or Kindle or any other kind of ereader before because I never would have bought one myself, I like having physical books in my hands.  After playing with my nook tablet though and reading a few books on it I love it. There’s a lot you can do on it and 1.8 million free books to read. My favorite feature so far is the ability to tap a word, tap look up, and the Merriam-Webster definition pops up.  My dictionary app on my mac’s dashboard is the most useful thing in the world.  I constantly use it, so naturally I love that feature on the Nook.  And isn’t my case just so stinking adorable? 

{Perfect pocket to put my train pass}

Also, thanks to my nook I've now finished the Hunger Games Trilogy. Very interesting ending. I wish my two best friends were home, or a phone call away even, so that we could discuss it. I'm curious to hear different people's take on it. So this is me suggesting everyone read the trilogy.

It's About Time.

{Walking through the snow}

Over a month into winter and it’s about time it finally snowed around here. I love winter, but when I say that my mind’s picture of winter is a snow-covered one.  I wish everyday of the winter were full of white landscapes.  I have such fond memories of going out in the snow with my three siblings and parents to play in the snow for hours, sledding, making snow men, igloos and snow angels until darkness. Then coming inside removing layers of snow pants, mittens, scarves and drinking hot chocolate to warm us from the inside out.  With memories like that how could people not like snow?!  Needless to say I was so excited to wake up yesterday morning and look out my window to find it all white. I love that feeling, it always feels like a gift from the heavens.  And I couldn’t agree more with Lorelai Gilmore here oh and, here; the world is different when it snows.  

{Looking up through icicles and trees}

{Festive nails and Starbuck's christmas cd to help set the mood}

{Beautiful}

{Incredibly warm and comfortable snow boots-being prepared makes all the difference}

Adoption

{My spectacled bear}

I’m a mom! Just kidding! I promise especially since I know some people who would have a heart attack at that statement. But I did adopt a bear! Yes that is correct, a bear. For Christmas my daddy adopted a bear in my name through the World Wildlife Foundation.  Through the donation you make you symbolically adopt an animal of your choice. He adopted a spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) for me. It’s the only bear in South America and lives in the rain forest, and because of the abundance of food the bears do not hibernate.  No, it’s not one specific bear so I can’t name it, which means I’m just going to lay claim to all of the bears. No big deal or anything.  This does reinforce my desire to travel to South America and see the rain forest before I die though. I mean now I have to go, I’ve got a bunch of adopted bears I need to go see.  Really though, I truly like what the World Wildlife Foundation does and I never expected this gift but I absolutely love it.

{Proof}

P.S.  BIG NEWS! I would like to inform everyone that little brother, Daniel, has been officially appointed my blog photographer, a highly esteemed position. He will be paid in hugs, kit-kats, and my ever wise advice. 

Week 1

Week 1 has concluded and I’m happy to report that the term has started off well.  My classes are fine so far, the work should be manageable, my schedule’s not awful and more than once I was greeted with a friend flinging their arms around me.  It’s nice to be back and feel good about things.  The only annoying thing so far is Thursdays. I usually love Thursdays, not this quarter. I have class from 9:30am-9:50pm. Let’s map that out for everyone.

6:30ish am-wake up

8:03am-board train

8:59am-enter 30^th street station

9:00-9:10am- walk to class

9:30-10:50am- Vertebrates lecture

11:00am-12:15pm- go to office and do some work/eat lunch

12:15pm-walk to class

12:30-1:50pm-Ethics class

1:50-1:55pm-walk back to office

1:55-2:50pm- do work

2:50pm-walk to class

3:00-4:50pm-Vertebrates Lab

4:50pm-walk back to office

5:00-6:45pm-do work/go somewhere/eat dinner

6:45pm-walk to class

7:00-9:50pm- Orgo II lab

9:50pm-walk to 30^th Street Station and board next train. Arrive home ~10:30-11:30pm

I’ll make do though, it could be worse.  And I don’t have class until 4 on Fridays so I can always sleep in, which is exactly what I did yesterday. So although that day was super long and I was exhausted by the time I got home did I go right to bed like I should have? No.  I read the Hunger Games instead because I have no self-control with books and can’t put them down. So I stayed up until 2:30am reading because I’m crazy until I finally forced myself to go to sleep and at which point I really was exhausted. Then I got up late the next day, and finished the book. That only took one day. I’m happy to say I have finally read it and it’s a really good book. I’m not buying the second one until Monday though so that I’m not tempted to just read the whole thing this weekend (I haven’t lost all self-control). I need something for my commute anyway! 

Moving on, a bunch of my friends have left/are leaving this week for Europe to study abroad for the semester. It makes me want to cry, because I’ll miss them/I’m jealous/I barely saw them over break/I watched Hostle in a hostel and am worried about them. But alas, scattered across Europe and the US we shall be and I can’t do anything about it. To end on a happy note, yesterday my good friend received the best possible news about his future schooling next year/future career and I couldn’t be more happy and excited for him. It’s a three day weekend too, so there’s plenty of time for celebrating :D 

Nine Months Later

It’s been a week since New Year’s and most people are taking down their Christmas trees if they haven’t done so already.  Well in my family we don’t put our tree up super early, yes I’m looking at you people who put it up the day after Thanksgiving or even December first.  I just think it’s absurd to put the tree up that early, especially since it’s not even winter yet.  So after debating it today, we decided to wait a few more days before taking down our gigantic tree.  In my family Christmas lasts all the way to New Years and a few days after.  I don’t see why people like to crush the Christmas spirit right after the holiday. You build up to it for weeks and then as soon as it happens it all disappears. I don’t like that philosophy.  So I am looking forward to a few more days of our beautiful Christmas tree and the start of the New Year.  This Monday I have class; the first time I will be taking classes (science classes at that) on Drexel’s campus since nine months ago. It’s been a while, to say the least.  It also means it’s been around nine months since I decided to go abroad.  It’s crazy how time flies, and although nervous to be back on campus, I could not be happier that I made that decision all those months ago. 

{A special ornament from the Tin Tinker*}

{Enjoying the last of Christmas}

*The Tin Tinker is a small family owned company that makes beautiful hand crafted ornaments from tin, and the mother also hand dips real burberry candles which are good luck for the New Year. We burned ours on New Year's Day this year. If you're really interested my Aunt has a super nice story about the Tin Tinker that will make you tear up. 

Cheesesteaks and Nails

{Champagne and Nails}

For Christmas I got a super nice digital camera that shoots like a SLR and my sister and I also got lots of nail polish. Then my sister found the blog Burgers and Nails, which we absolutely love. So while we already went crazy over our nails (this was the second time we painted our nails since Christmas), we then felt the need to capture our nails with something you wouldn’t expect. Nice way to ring in the New Year, no? I hope everyone has had lots of champagne to start off the New Year!

*All nail painting done by my wonderfully talented sister, Eliza. She also served as sole inspiration for this post.

{Cheesesteaks and Nails}

{Butter cookies and Nails}