Category: holidays

Classes: Science and Literature (aka “Classic Sci-Fi Literature and how it was influenced by/how it influenced science and culture and stuff”), Computer Modeling and Animation Applications, Senior Project/Digital Figure Modeling II: Electric Boogaloo, Psychology of Judgments and Decisions, The Parts of CSE 460 I Didn’t Finish Last Semester.

I found out I was allergic to stuff I’d been using religiously for some six months to treat an infected ear piercing; the irony gods were rolling on the floor. Experienced much upheaval in my class schedule, but eventually worked everything out. Saw Wicked again on Broadway, which was absolutely extraordinary! Saw the Dresden Files TV show, which was less than extraordinary. Was funny.

Witnessed Ko’s awesomeness in an English department play. Put together a Molly costume for New York Comic Con, but was foiled in my wig bleaching and dyeing attempts. Terror over looming computer science assignments began producing physical side effects. NY Comic Con proved to be AWESOME, with much chillage with Jimmy and Joe, plus autographs from Jim Butcher and Paul Blackthorne (who smiled at me somewhat devastatingly, mmm) and lots of compliments on my wig and fake piercings, mostly from people who assumed they were real. Got the DVD of my work on Boz from last summer’s internship and preened.

Made an awesome demo reel, but does anybody hire me? Alas. Got White Night a couple weeks in advance, and it was awesome. Got the Summer Knight audio three weeks in advance, and it was awesome as well. Did a guest spot on The Butcher Block, the official Jim Butcher podcast. Wrote fic. Continued to hammer away at academia in general.

And that news was that I was made a freaking BETA. Also, my SplatterCon!!! shirt was made official merchandise, and I became the news money for Jim-Butcher.com. Of course, I wasn’t able to truly enjoy these windfalls until I hammered my way through the endless assignments my professors stacked up like a sadistic game of Jenga. Relaxed a bit through more fic. Finished senior project, with rocked so hard there are no words.

Went kiiiiind of crazy from computer science-related stress. Worth it when I kicked out a 3.72 GPA for the semester, which was my highest at Penn. GOT A JOB! Became News Correspondent for The Butcher Block. Was funny. Drew my now-canon crackship. GRADUATED, avec the awesomeness that is Chungy.

Road Trip!

Went through Dinosaur National Monument — invented the Greatest Campfire Dessert Ever, stood At The Corner of Win and Awesome, and met a Graduationsaurus, and went rafting with a couple of guys that wished they were on Mars!

Drove through Park City — site of the Olympics, but not the site of the awesome zip line we hoped to ride. We ran around in the bobsled tube, however! Stayed in an actual hoteeeeeeel, which was v. nice after sleeping in The Beast, our ginormous tent, several days straight.

Went to Arches — hiked the Fiery Furnace, which was too cool for words. Took approx 74268 rolls of film!

Mesa Verde — saw sweet cliff dwellings and sweet museums with stuff from cliff dwellings. My face, however, was less pleased with the situation, as despite my frequent applications of sunblock, it got horribly burned, resulting in much misery. Aloe and moisturizer made it hurt even more.

Road Trip continues!

Four Corners — was in four states at once! JEEPERS! Took the picture I have fantasized about taking ever since I found out this place existed.

Grand Canyon — way grander than any canyon I could have imagined in my wildest dreams! Took a further 46823 rolls of film. Bought a cool hat to keep the sun off my face and looked ready to go treasure hunting with Indy. Talked to Dad on the phone, who insisted I visit Antelope Canyon, so I got in the car and raced the setting sun, thinking it only 40 miles away. FALSE. Try 120! You fail, Garmin GPS device! Took some sweet photos and was ultimately glad I did so, though when I finally returned it was to a frantic Renata and Keith, who had reported me as a missing person.

Zion — Visited accidentally, when Keith thought he was better at reading maps than our GPS. Was SO GLAD HE DID. So much pretty!

Vegas — Went on a total whim, as it was only like 5 hours away. Went shopping for nice-ish clothes at a thrift store and TRIUMPHED, though Renata somehow lost A Shoe. Chilled with Renata’s friends from camp. Stayed at uncle’s hotel, and he treated us to tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s Ka, which was too amazing to comprehend. I keep looking back through the program I bought and thinking “Dude, did I really see that happen?”, and I DID.

Peach Springs/Grand Canyon Caves/Havasupai — Ate at an awesome restaurant with the most awesome waitress ever, like four times. She gave us free pie! Investigated the Grand Canyon Caves, which were pretty sweet. Was told by the tour guide that they had once been called “Dinosaur Caves” for no legitimate reason except the word “Dinosaur” attracted kidlets like flies to honey, we and had a good laugh at ourselves. Embarked upon the 12-mile walk to Havasupai falls with backpacks heavier than a small child. Walked and walked and walked and walked and arrived in the town and ate dino-shaped chicken nuggets that made me ill and walked and walked and fell asleep on the trail with a mile and a half to go to the falls. Woke with the sun, walked the remaining distance to the falls, GUHed profusely, then promptly turned back and walked and walked and walked and walked, this time pausing to rest approx every five minutes. Keith ran out of water, so Renata and I pitched in with our own supplies. Walked and walked. Keith was struck by heat exhaustion with just over a mile to go, so he and Renata chilled in the shade and I went on for help. The help was utterly unhelpful, and I paid an arm and a leg for small quantities of water and Gatorade. Once reunited, we decided to chill and wait for the sun to set a little more so walking would be easier. Finally made the last mile (briefly interrupting our trek to HEROICALLY STOP A GALLOPING HORSE), took off our shoes, and reveled in my car’s AC. I WALKED A FREAKING MARATHON, YOU GUYS. WITH A BACKPACK THAT WEIGHED MORE THAN ME IN THE SEARING HEAT WITH NOT ENOUGH WATER, IN 30 HOURS. Made it back to Peach Springs just in time to be fed by the aforementioned Awesome Waitress. Zoomed off in a homeward direction! Slept in a motel and gloried in the simple decadence of a shower. The next day, felt like 90-year-old men. Drove, drove, drove, drove all the next day. Finally arrived in Dallas around 3AM! WIN!

Also in June: Moved to New York and started job, staying in the plush, vacated apartment of my mom’s friend’s friend. Sweeeet. Discovered the glory that is the New York Public Library. Sweeeeter. Wrote fic.

Saw Jonathan Coulton and Vienna Teng in concert, and discovered the ridiculously cute Christina Courtin the the uproariously silly The Petersons. Got sick, the lone symptoms being a terribly sore throat and voice that made me sound like I’d been hit in the neck with a semi when I was four. Moved to The Markle, a Salvation Army-run residence at some point. Perhaps this was in June? MET KAT and her Cool and Awesome Mother! Went to the massive Union Square Barnes and Noble Harry Potter event in awesome Trelawney-garb, and was promptly confused for one of the hired actors playing the professors. Read the book and cried. Finished it before morning. Watched a bunch of pilots and fell in love with Pushing Daisies.

Bought a Mac! Got an apartment, with a girl I’ve known since I was 4. Fell in love with Flight of the Conchords.

Did lots of overtime. Finally started getting in all the furniture I ordered, so I didn’t have to live out of suitcases. Decided to dress as Maeve for PhauxCon and started working on the wig and outfit. Met Simon Pegg! Nearly sustained a repetitive stress injury from deadlocking the Maeve wig. Randomly encountered a best friend from 7th grade on the subway! Wrote RR fic and participated in Seasonal Dresden.

Met Pterry. MET EL! Got ridiculous shoes of awesome. Was named one of three Thematic Consultants for the Dresden Files graphic novel, tipping my Dresden fan friends from “jealous” to “I will set you on fire and assume your identity.” Saw Tori Amos! Went to PhauxCon, and spent the weekend chilling with Jim and Shannon Butcher and a lot of wonderful folks I know online. Went to a Halloween bash with Kristin, Courtney, and Ryan. Went to my first Dr. Sketchy’s and had a blast! Wrote RR fic. Spent Halloween itself with Jimmy and the Meanies.

Fed picketing writers. Saw Tim Burton and three musical numbers from Sweeney! Went to another Dr. Sketchy’s. Got an iPhone! Went home for Thanksgiving. Got v. sick.

Saw Vienna Teng and Christina Courtin again. Wrote flashfic. The building next door caught fire while I was still at work at 2am, but I was not in danger. Was crazy. Pulled an 80-hour work week. Saw Ko daaaaaaaance! Went home for the first half of my break, then to California to see mah sister and her boy before returning to NY. Totally WON CHRISTMAS, giving the Best Gifts Ever. Brought in the New Year at my work-pal and fellow DMDer Eric’s party!

HAPPY 2008!