Spring Break? Not!

So thanks to a combination of the downfall in America's current economy and 3 of my 7 professors, I will not be attending Spring Break in Panama 09'. I have absolutely no money and have 3 projects to work on over the break. I'm not too upset though because I would not have been able to have much fun on my very tight budget anyways. So far I have spent hours in the library, out of the sun, in the dark reading...while all my friends have been enjoying theirselves in Panama, in the sun, on the beach. I have had so much to do I haven't really had too much time to enjoy myself for this short break. Yesterday my boyfriend Andy and I went into New Orleans for the Nickleback concert (which was amazing) but the weather was gray and mucky. I did however, get to relax and even had a hurricane while listening to music in Pat O'Briens piano bar before the concert. But now its back to reality. Oh well, it was supposed to be my last big fun break before my launch into the real world, but I guess instead I'll be couped up in the school's library...fun stuff!

Grow your own grocery store?

I was reading the news today and read an article on how many Americans are struggling through the recession and are growing gardens in thier backyards to save money at the grocery. I think this is a great idea and will save Americans tons of money! Again on a news channel this morning, a woman reported that she estimated saving about $150 a month by growing a vegetable garden in her backyard. She reported that she nows rarely goes to the grocery store for fresh vegetables, but does go to the store for other needs. My mom has always had a garden in our backyard for years and I'm sure has saved much as well as having the advantage of chemical-free food. The only problem I see here is that if other Americans catch on to this money saving idea, grocery stores will start losing money and therefore farmers will lose money as well. It is a vicious circle American is in. Hopefully someday very soon we will be out of this recession and back to a stable economy.

Pedestrians beware of Bikers!

Is it absolutely necessary for students on bikes to peddle so fast on the sidewalk and scare walkers to death?! I swear I've noticed lately that bike riders around UL's campus are hitting speeds that are potentially lethal if they do fully hit a walker. Several times in my college experience have I been accidentally hit by a biker or slightly brushed. They scarce the crap out of me now! I hear behind the buzz of the wheels behind me growing closer and closer and my anxiety grows so high that I am going to be hit by some maniac on a bike that I am terrified to move left or right or even turn around to see what side of me that are coming up on so I figure that getting struck in that back is better than face-first! These bikers have got me absolutely terrified when I hear or see them coming...its ridiculous! Today, my boyfriend and I were walking back to my apartment together, not putting anyone in danger like some people, just peacefully making our way back. Two bikers passed up when I commented in show much they scared me by how fast they are peddling...my inspiration for this blog came when he intensely responded saying how he saw a guy in the quad get struck the other day and said that he noticed as well how ridicuously fast the bikers are going. Does UL need to put up biker speed zone where crowds of people are walking? Maybe. I figure that walking to class is usually a stress-free part of my day...not anymore! I am now trying to avoid areas where bikers are or am looking a head for them so I know where they are and get out of their way because they seem to like to go past people at high speeds! I sometimes feel like yelling at them telling them to slow down..but come on, what am I an old grandma already yelling at youngsters to slow down? Its time to graduate already.

Greek Week

ULL recently had its annual Greek Week for all of its Greek on campus. This years, my sorority's team was paired with other awesome organizations that are really competitive and always seem to do well at the weeks events ! Each year, the Greeks get together and compete against other Greeks in events such as a scavenger hunt, sports, banner contest, skit, and strut contest. It is really a lot of fun and a great way to meet new people. The last day of the week, Friday, was Greek Olympics where all teams gathered together and competed in event such as tug of war, baseball, two-legged race, touch football, and pie throwing. Last year Tri-Sigma and our other Greek teammates came in second. This year there was also a scavenger hunt where all the Greeks were sent out find random facts and items that the Deans place all around our campus. A the Greek awards, Tri-Sigma and our teammates ending up coming in second again...that is still something to be proud of and it definitely was alot of fun this year!

Nickleback Concert

For Andy's birthday back in January, I surprised him with tickets to the Nickleback concert which is April 17th. He was of course, surprised and very excited. Since the concert is coming up right around the corner, we have begun to make plans for the day. The concert in at the New Orleans arena. My house in Mandeville is about 35 minutes from New Orleans so I was thinking that the two of use could go down to New Orleans that Friday afternoon and have lunch somewhere nice and somewhere he has never been before (he is from Houston). I think after lunch we were talking about going to Harrah's Casino for a couple of hours (we'll prolly both go broke here!) and then head to the concert. Nickleback is playing with Seether and Saving Able so the concert should be awesome! After the concert we are planning to head home to Mandeville to stay the night which is a short drive from the New Orleans arean. Andy is my best friend so I know we will have an amazing day and night. Can't wait!

Here is a clip of the concert!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d8uqE09ooo

No jobs, no luck, guess we're all *******

As graduation is pending and I am faced with the reality of having to attain some kind of career in the next few months...my mother said to me today that she was nervous I would have a hard time finding a job anywhere. Thanks to the grossly regime of our new president and all of his stimulus plans (whatever) Americans are scraping for jobs that pay minimum wage. If you keep up with the news like I try to do you would discover that more and more Americans are being laid off, even those who have their masters degree and thougtht their jobs were stable. I recently found out that an old neighbor of mine, 26, who has his masters in business and such (very smart and driven guy) was just laid off because the company he was working for closed down his branch in New Orleans because the company (will remain nameless) is facing bankruptcy. All I can say is he is actually one of the lucky ones to get laid off, his parents are going to help him out for a while and he does not have a family to support, like many many others do that have recently lost their jobs. I heard recently on the news that hundreds of nursing students are being rejected from schools because, even though the need for nurses in this country is high, hospitals and such find it financially easier to hire nurses from outside of the U.S that will work for cheap. Wow. So pretty much if your American and you have a high level of education your screwed in the job market because companies cannot afford you!! I guess some of us have a better chance at getting a job at McDonald's (where I heard they pay up to $10/hr) than joining the white collar work force. All of this mess has just got me, like many others, very worried about my future...so what now...I guess I'm better off finding a job in another country, at least I know I won't have the risk of suddenly being laid off.

Some good and some bad

So of course living with 2 girls has its ups and downs. Rebecca, Kristina and I do however, mostly have our ups. We have grown to love each other and respect each other's differences. At first, whenever Rebecca moved in with Kristina and I last semester, we had some problems adjusting to how different we all were when it came to our homelife. They're better now in that we all work together to keep up with the housework...but its still mostly me. We have fun so much fun together watching movies, tv shows or just hanging out together, relaxing. I know I am going to love the quiet of my house when I move home in May but will absolutely miss their liveliness and love that they bring to the apartment. Borrowing clothes, giving and getting advice, crying on each other's shoulder's when we had a bad night, helping each other with schoolwork, cooking meals for one another, and all cuddling up in one bed to talk about our crazy lives or to watch a movie...I will miss it all. There have been a few fights over the last year, but I think all roommates disagree on certain, which is human nature. No matter what, we are there for each other. The era of living with roommates is finally coming to an end in my life, its a good thing but something I will never forget.

Big Bully

My mom calls me the other day and tells me that Trouble was bullying Bella again. Each day he moves about the house from my room, under my bed, my window, the living room window, and the diner room window...he has a routine. Anyways, so my mom tells me that he was sitting on the diner room window and the back door was open for Bella to come back inside. She said she watched Trouble jump up from his slouched position and purposely stand in the doorway when he saw Bella running up. As soon as she got just close enought to the doorway, Trouble swatted his paw at her and hissed histerically--he was barracading the doorway!! She kept trying to get past him and he would just not let her in. Finally my mom said she felt bad for laughing at the situation and chased Fatty away. "He's a terror" she told me. I feel bad for Bella but I really don't think he could ever hurt her, she's almost 3 times his size now, though he pretends he is larger than life. I swear they are the funniest two animals to watch when they get together, he hates her and all she wants to do is play! Maybe one day they'll finally get along, hopefully