Much Adoration. Heart, Michigan

The squirrels here are on steroids, I'm telling you. They are like rats with feathered tails. No other way of describing it. So life. is. good :) Oh so good. The weather is now perfect! A chill in the air that reminds you of life and living, colorful scarves playing above sweaters, blue skies and the sun, and all is picturesque. 

Rachel--they have these monolithic buildings dotted throughout campus. It makes me want to grab some cake and spend a midnight on the steps underneath one of the columns. It reminds me a little of DC. Weird. 

The bars DT are like Copper Creek or some of the other places in Athens--just chill and people surrounding you. Law school is like being in Moore College and hanging out with Honors kids. In that, wherever you go, you know the whole bar. You can't walk to class without smiling at someone who was there for some awkward moment and then you bonded :)

I really like this place. 

The people I hang out with here are...interesting. They amuse me. And I keep them entertained with with my "snide comments" (their words, not mine). I'm really excited about the upcoming snow! A couple of the guys and girls here have promised me my first toboggan ride, and sledding, and (maybe!) snowboarding :) Also, there's supposed to be this party on Halloween. Tomorrow, I'm forcing this kid to go check out the trails with me  at the nearby Arb (it's like the Botanical Gardens). There's a farmer's market nearby, too. It reminds me of Eastern Market in DC. Love it. 

Last night's debate was interesting. In that everyone around me got drunk--drank more to combat their frustration as Palin talked...which only led to more yells at the tv...Palin makes me cry and not in a good way. Kristen, thank you for your company through it all. The other night, some guys started singing one of the songs from Flight of the Conchords. It was the same one Tyler once sang to me before I knew about the show, and I thought he was being a dick. The song about You could be a part time model but keep your normal job. This time, I got the song :) 

Ok friends. 

Much adoration.

Heart,

 Michigan.

To My Boys (Ty & Deep)

This goes out to my boys who i miss dearly!! This reminds my of good times DT... dancing and singing!

We were as one, babe
For a moment in time
And it seemed everlasting
That you would always be mine
Now you want to be free
So I'll let you fly
'Cause I know in my heart, babe
Our love will never die
No

You'll always be a part of me
I'm part of you indefinitely
Boy, don't you know you can't escape me
Ooh darling, 'cause you'll always be my baby
And we'll linger on
Time can't erase a feeling this strong
No way you're never gonna shake me
Ooh darling, 'cause you'll always be my baby

(Do do doop)
(Do do doop do doop da dum)
(Do do doop dum)
(Do do doop do doop da dum)

Missing You

Surprise! I finally got around to posting on the blog. This morning I opened a to do list from like July, and yeah, this was on it. Sorry! Life has just been really dull without you all. I moved into an apartment near Five Points with my best friend, Jaanki, and a new pal named Naila. I actually share a room with Naila, and it's not bad--we have a fairly big apartment so we never feel cramped even though there are three of us in a two bedroom. Plus, it makes rent really cheap so that I can afford to travel around the country and world (dang it, Deep!) to see you guys.

I have had a very busy, uninteresting fall semester. I am applying to law school next month and I have the LSAT on Saturday, so as you can imagine, it is dominating my mind and happiness. I am still not able to do a lot of physical activities thanks to my crazy heart, but I saw a doctor at Emory two weeks ago and he gave me a new "prescription." Basically, I have to get off medication and do lots of cardio training to strengthen my heart. Should be interesting. Once I start this, I think I will spend a lot of time laying on the couch unable to move.

It sounds like I am talking to old people in the above paragraph. I have a cadre of great aunts and uncles who always want detailed emails about my health. I guess when you get old and your body starts giving out, heath issues are just always at the forefront of your mind. Anyway, sorry for giving you the old folks report!

Deep and I said goodbye on Friday, which was very sad. Luckily I've been so busy that I haven't had much time to wallow. I was, however, thinking about how much I've improved as a person having dated him, and that applies to all of my friendships as well. I really feel like I have had the pleasure of knowing some of the most awesome people there are. Aqsa and I were talking awhile back about how lucky we are to have friends that complement us so nicely. For you non-Roosevelters, sorry to exclude you, but that's why our conference was so perfect. We were just a great team. Individually, we were good, but as a team, we were capable of pulling off the impossible.

So, for those of you who don't know, I have a very religious uncle who goes to a church where they say that the current situation might be the biblical "end times." I went there once and someone put hands on me and spoke in tongues...but that's another story. My uncle's eccentric church aside, it's amazing how fragile things really are. Of course, our generation has never fought war or poverty like many of our parents and grandparents, so we have such a false sense of security. I am noticing it in myself more and more. I feel unaffected by everything--it's fascinating to think about and study, but I don't feel personally hurt or stressed. I don't know if you guys feel the same way, but I am disappointed in my feeling of detachment because the decisions being made now will have such an impact on my life after school. Our parents' generation may succeed in digging their way out of the current financial mess, but they'll still leave us in a big hole (accidental pun).

Anyway, that's just a penny for my random thoughts.

I am starting to see why this blog is so awesome. Deep and Aqsa are the only two graduates on this list that I keep up with regularly, which is sad. It's nice to know what everyone is up to even if we don't always have time to talk on the phone three or four times a week.

Love you guys.

p.s. how do you post pictures?

We're reviving the blog this weekend. Now that everyone is moved out (except the K names and Brit), we have no choice. Everyone must work together. A daily effort!

:(

I miss everyone! (I tried to find a pic with everyone but i couldn't)

Regresar y comenzar

Paki-land was great :) Tons of fun, the beach, late nights in a city that never turns off its lights (except for those hours where they cut the electricity and then the whole block dims and naps in compliance). It was kind of like school...in that I was constantly surrounded by ppl my age. Of course, they were all related to me somehow, so I guess that loses it's UGA touch. hmm. But still like school in the sense that I would have tons of fun hanging out, shopping, etc. and every third day go to my grandmother's house which was a history lesson in itself. There, I had the company of ppl who are more knowledgeable than me, and I learned like it was class. I know this sounds kind of weird, but it just goes to show the family variety. Also, there were old people there. I really like old people, especially those with good memories. On any given afternoon, they can recount the various scandals that rocked Pre-Partition India, give primary accounts to who married who, and it all makes a really great story. 

After having talked to Rachel, I really just want to start school. Lame, but true. I want to walk into my Michigan residence, have it look perfect, and start my Michigan life. Like. Right. Now. But the reality is that I have to unpack, repack, and dig before that dream merges into existence. I'll probably still be living out of boxes until October. Hmmm. I take that back. Right now, I want to fast forward to my second year in law school by which time, all my stuff will have been unpacked and be perfect. I will also have acquired the necessary wardrobe.

Ok friends. That's the recap. 

adios.

Charleston

George and I met up with Tyler and Brit in Charleston at the Isle of Palms. To get to the place, we crossed over a huge suspension bridge that was really inspiring (on our way back, we went out of our way to go over it and be re-inspired). We ate dinner Fri night with Granny and Mama Pratt at a Mexican place called La Hacienda before going to Tyler's beach house. We watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics and played a game called Rummikub (George coined the phrase "Brit don't do it"). The next day we had a great time at the beach playing 500 in the water, boogie boarding, and just hanging out. It was a short trip but a ton of fun.

Deep's Schedule

I'll be in/around Atlanta until Sept. 27th. Anyone who is in town -- you are always welcome for a night's stay at the Shah house in Duluth. I'll post my UK schedule when I get there!

Anant's Schedule

I can't figure out how to post my schedule like Ryan did so here's the link

http://medstation.yale.edu/admissions/www/calendar2008-2009.pdf

Weekends are always free. The rest of my schedule is very "flexible" so most days can also become free. Please please please come visit/move to New Haven. Also NYC or the Hartford area are really close, and Boston's doable too. As an added bonus I can offer one-of-a-kind signed portraits of Jorgos Lazari but be warned - quantities are limited and due to high female demand will likely be sold out.

Best to all

My Schedule for Next Year

So I decided that it would be a good idea if we all put up our school schedules for the upcoming year. That way if we want to coordinate trips for the breaks it would be easier. By the way I am officially leaving Athens withing the next two days and I am as nostalgic as ever. As I watched them paint #97 today, I felt all of the memories within those walls melt away. I love you guys and these past four years were the best of my life. Thanks to everyone who made them that way.

Ryan

Funny research Lab

http://www.eppendorf.com/int/hawkpopup.php?contentid=13

T-Paynes Return

So I know a lot of you could not make it to Ty's Welcome Home Party but it was a blast and we have a lot of wild stories from the night... like juicy hook up stories and lost friends... but in fear of someone getting mad I will just leave it like that and if you want all the details I will tell in a private matter! lol

Hasta luego.

Just to have this in print: I adore my friends (inclusive of you all). Leaving for the Paki-land in a few days. Good-bye to Athens. It's been beautiful, friends.

Seriously, though, thanks for all the company this summer ppl :)

Ryan and the dinners, Rachel's cookie-baking skills and Athenian wanderings, Sayama nights, Jdix's random visits and Christmas movie watching in June, Deep's daily gchatting/phone company, Anant's Melting Point introduction, Kevin's humor in phone text, George's Ghana-tales, Brit's advice on LOST, Kristen's return, and Tyler's tyler-ness. And everyone else in between :)

adoring much,

aqs

A Big Thanks

Hey, everyone --

Thanks to all of you for coming in town to visit last weekend. Anant captured the spirit perfectly -- care-free, no stress good times. Everyone simply enjoyed being together. Gotta do it again soon. Let's try to plan something before everyone heads their separate way come August. Any ideas?

Deep

P.S. Ryan could have come, but he was too cool. Great friend that guy.

P.P.S. Rach, post the pictures on here!

Fourth of July

Family business went down Italian style at the regal during the movie Hancock… the Italians meet up with the mandawats ( my sister and me went to a movie with Anant and his bro)… Family Bar-B-Que on the fourth with margaritas pool side thanks to the Margaretville margarita maker… its love. Then beer at kiley's pool with her family and greenjacket baseball game with fireworks to end the day. Also a very productive weekend, I read two books and watch one of the greatest tennis matches ever but my guy didn’t win so now I owe tony lunch ahh

Dream

So I have been watching entourage and have been addicted. I am in the end of season 3… the other day I wasn’t feeling good so I took a nap that turned into a three hour long coma with one amazing dream I wish I could remember all the parts of it so it might not make complete sense but I am going to share

It began with a day at the lake with a group of friends and my best friend t-Payne who is played by Vinny Chase in my dream (I said I have been watching entourage).. so anyways we all take a hike and we witness something bad (don’t remember what) but we start running back to the lake shore because we are being chased by bad guys. We get in our boat to make a run for it Vinny is driving. Next thing I know we are almost to the other end of the lake when the cops start to also chase us in a helicopter. I look up and its Ari the FBI agent flying the helicopter chasing us. We run into a major city and hide at the top of a building (have no idea how we got there or why the FBI is chasing us) Vinny looks out to see if the coast is clear and we get seen so we have to run and hide in another building. Vinny Chase aka t-Payne gets really upset that he is the one who got us made so I try to cheer him up by giving him a hug and rubbing his head (guys love that I think) next thing I know I am awake in my room cuddling a pillow and rubbing the edge of my bed… that was one insane dream.

Athenian Summer--RWD '08

So the past couple days mark Rach Whit Day '08. ("Day" being a collective noun in this case). Basically, Rachel came into town, and we had this list of things to do of which (I think) we were successful in accomplishing. The first--My So-Called Life. For those of you who laugh (*cough DEEP) it is a GREAT show that was the first of its kind. You all should totally wikipedia it to understand the repercussions it has had on contemporary television. Also, it's totally relatable. Two words: Jordan Catalano. 

I took a day off, and Rach and I went out to the abyss that is Watkinsville to go blueberry picking in the fields. On the way, we saw a gun. To us citified folks, it was a great tourist attraction. I love how farms constitute as "nature" for us. I'm constantly amazed at how messed up our perceptions are that we can appreciate the scarring of the earth. 

Those gallons of berries were then artistically formulated into probably what is the best blueberry/cranberry oatmeal bars I have ever had. Compliments to the chef--Sayama and Rachel. I sat there and gave emotional support. My time  in the kitchen came later that night--Paki Potato Pancakes with Whitaker's Spinach Quiche and Ryan Blalock as the kitchen aide to do our bidding. Ending it all with the sky and Herty field. We just can't get away...

Finale to the event: Wanted with Ryan and Jackson. I never thought I'd see the day where I'd hear Morgan Freeman say: "Kill that Motherf----." (I censor for the children)

And that's the synopsis of Whitaker Day '08...which might just turn into a weekly or bi-monthly event depending on circumstance.

DC Final Day

We began our final day in DC with a “Deep-fried” gourmet breakfast of eggs, cereal, toast, strawberry jam, milk, and OJ. We had a communal meal as people walked around and ate off each others plates. Once we were ready and after making fun of a Gator on the elevator, we went to the folklife festival on the mall. It was a huge event that selected three cultures to showcase. This year was NASA, the country of Bhutan, and Texas (I kid you not). We first walked around the NASA area where we heard an enthusiastic explanation of how a shuttle is launched. In the Q&A session, Deep’s question to the NASA expert was, “Did we really land on the moon?” (It was worded a little differently but this way it’s funnier). We met up with Megan Bruner at the Bhutan tent to watch a cultural show. No one really knew what was going on in the show, but it was very energetic and included a failed attempt to get Rachel on stage. We soon escaped the heat with the help of our old friend - the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Along the way, we had a good chat with our pasta cook from two nights ago who was selling water for the event. In the Smithsonian, we looked at the Hope Diamond, which Jordo’s family owned for a brief time. After a taste of cinnamon almonds from the Texas booth, we met up with Joey and went paddle boating in the tidal basin. The weather was perfect and we had a great time. Joey and I felt like fearless rescuers after tugging Deep and Kevin’s broken boat. But, after much manpower on mine and Joey’s part, we were only thanked by the hearty laughs of our tricksters. After a quick recharge at the dorm, we walked past the river to Georgetown. The Georgetown area is really classy and was packed with people. We had reservations at a nice Italian place called Pablos where we filled up on pizza and pasta. After dinner, we went to a bar that had a rooftop patio. We had a great time hanging out on the roof for what must have been a couple of hours. We finished up by walking through some shaddy neighborhoods in Columbia Heights (some areas were monitored by closed circuit television) to get to a house party. The best line of the night was when we told everyone not to worry because we had an All-American with us. Joey’s response as he picks up the pace: “Do you know what sport that’s in!!” The next day, we got breakfast at a nearby place called Tonic before heading to the airport. Everyone had an amazing time in DC – thank you Deep for setting everything up. It was a great three days and a reunion we have to repeat again soon.

DC Day 2

Day 2 began with a walk around GW. New students were having orientation in the student center and we tried our best to swipe a free GW blanket. After looking at the Watergate building and stocking up on some snacks from Safeway, we took the Metro to see the National Cathedral. It is really impressive and has its own American flair – one of the gargoyle’s is Darth Vader thanks to a child’s submission. We also walked down Embassy Row and looked at some more great architecture. Around 6pm we took pizzas and drinks to the mall area. We were hoping to go to a sculpture garden for a jazz concert but the weather wasn’t cooperating. As it rained, we ate on the porch of the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. Our long lost friend Yannick met up with us, and using his powers, he drove away the rain. We had a great time at the concert dancing and playing swordfish (a game Deep invented/showed us). The setting was idyllic with fountains running on the garden pond and classical architecture in the backdrop. We took the Metro back to GW where an All-American (congrats Joey!) was waiting for us. Joey had on a Kevinesque white polo shirt (how things have changed from wifebeater Joey – thank you Lyndsay). We hung out at the dorm for a while before heading to Chinatown to meet Kevin. While waiting, we hung out at a restaurant called Clydes and took a picture with some gangsta-looking rappers. Kevin made a marathon trip from Manhattan to meet us in DC. Although he was supposed to leave on a 5:30 bus from New York for a 3 hour trip, thanks to delays/traffic he didn’t arrive till 1:30am. But when he did, we had a cardigan-wearing Greek God in our midst.

DC Day 1

This post started on Wednesday night when Rachel and I drove into Athens. We were planning on driving to DC to see Deep. We woke up Thursday morning and had a much better idea…instead of driving, we called AirTran and found out we could fly standby. If you are under 23, AirTranU lets you buy a one way standby ticket at the counter for $80-$110. You don’t have a guaranteed seat, but you can call AirTran and they’ll tell you how many seats are available. With the way fuel prices are these days, most (in our case all) of the flights have room. We dropped off Rachel’s car at her house and parked at the airport Park N Ride. Within 5 minutes of being in the parking lot, I somehow managed to lose the parking ticket and was almost left behind by the shuttle bus. Making it to the terminal in one piece, we bought our tickets at 11:00am and were in DC by 1:30pm. We took the Metro to the GW stop and were met by Jordan and Deep. The hugs were classic – the only thing missing was Disney music in the background. While Deep returned for a few hours of “work” at the VA, we went to a café called Cosi for flatbread sandwiches – they were so good that an unnamed individual unknowingly ate part of the wrapping paper. After lunch, we took a picture in front of the White House and escaped the heat by ducking into a Smithsonian exhibit on art jewelry. Once Deep was off from work, we walked to the Lincoln, WWII, Washington, and Jefferson memorials. I hadn’t been to DC in a while and forgot how inspiring they are. It’s also fun seeing community leagues playing soccer, softball, and kickball on the mall. For dinner, Deep took us to an Italian place where the chef makes you a customized pasta meal. The restaurant was packed with young people and had a fancy Copper Creekesque atmosphere. We ended the day at Lucky Strike, a restaurant/high-end bowling venue, with painfully low scores but a great time.

In the Big Dawgs Kitchen

I just wanted to share my (irrational) awe of last night. I have a bunch of friends from Watkinsville who I have been hanging out with, this summer in Athens. Last night, I was somewhere in Watkinsville (literally the middle of nowhere--no cell phone service, no street lights, nada) hanging out at someone's house. When in walks Michael Floyd. And then it hit me: I was in Michael Floyd's kitchen. And I just froze, watermelon half-way to my mouth. 

Oh, and for all of you that think I don't work...I DO! I AM decently productive at my job...my constant signed-on presence to my gmail account is testimony to the hours I am at work...I have also become a frequent surfer of ncaa.com. 

And that's that. 

later friends.

aqs 

NOC...not so much

So with gas prices the way they are, not too many people were coming rafting. Consequently, I had hardly any work and so I have decided to go back to Athens for the remainder of the summer. I will be working in my research lab and otherwise enjoying Athens and dt. Give me a hollar if you wanna go out or just hang out and watch movies with Britt and I. Anant and Deep are currently trying to guilt me into going to DC this weekend and it may end up working. We'll see...

Scrubs

Well I have finished Scrubs all 7 seasons until they come out with new episodes now i have no idea what to do with myself at work any other tv show suggestions or movies i should watch? thanks for your help!

Athens

I went to Athens for two days this week and had a great time - there really is no place like it especially when you get to hang out with Rachel, Britt, BO, Aqsa, and Alicia. On Monday, we got pizza at Mellow Mushroom while watching Tiger beat Rocco for the US Open title. We also had a ball watching Kung Fu Panda - Jack Black is hilarious and there are some classic lines in the movie! We ended the day with Orientation Live (the show the orientation leaders put on for incoming freshmen) and sat downtown with food from Five Guys. On Tuesday I took a tour of where Brittany works and yes she is big time with the corner office. We then went to IHOP to redress pancake wrongs that had been committed against Rachel in the past (they had actually denied her pancakes on a previous visit). We went to Doc Chey's for dinner before going to the Melting Point for a bluegrass show. The Melting Point is such an awesome place - it defines Athens for me - it is so chill with music playing as you sit outside on this lighted brick patio and hang out with friends. To finish off the night, we bought a tub of ice cream from Kroger, got some sporks from Taco Bell (where else), and ate/hung out on Herty Field till one in the morning... man, can't think of a better way to spend two days.

Akwabba!!

That means "Hello/Welcome" in Ghana. It has almost been a week since I arrived, and life is good.

I am in an internet cafe in Kasoa, Ghana which is about 30 minutes from the village that I am currently staying in called Nyanyano.

We are staying with the chief of the Nyanyano and sleeping on the floor in one of the rooms. We take showers out of a bucket that we draw water with from a huge holding tank they use to collect rain water. Rain water is the primary source of water for the village. Nyanyano is a fishing village on the coast. This means there is a nice breeze most of the day from the ocean . Everyone is extremely friendly.

This morning we watch a soccer match on the local dirt field. The people say that this is the same field that Michael Essien (The famous Chelsea player from Ghana) learned to play soccer. All the boys are really good at soccer and usually play barefoot. We sometimes have a scrimmage at night with some of the locals that we met.

The food is tastes good but is too spicy for my liking. It is also really heavy because it is oil based and usually red because of the spicy red palm nut that is always used in cooking. So far we eat two meals a day, breakfast and dinner. Breakfast consists of bread and fruit and dinner is usually a local dish. We often get snacks from sellers on the road side. The fruit is amazing and it is mango season. Everything is pretty cheap too.

Nyanyano is a poor community but does have a small clinic with a few nurses that staff it twenty four hours. They do everything and more. They put U.S. doctors to shame. They work whenever somebody is sick and take shifts in the middle of the night. They do everything yet do it with a smile. The clinic is clean but not sanitary. They are in desperate need of supplies. Most of the cases are malaria or pregnancies. We saw a women give birth the other day and a small boy get circumcised. Most of the people are anemic especially the women. It amazes me what people just deal with on a daily basis because they have too.

We also spend time at the local schools. The children are really intelligent for their age and extremely well behaved. I especially enjoy P.E. and just hanging out with them.

I am spending another week in the village getting to know the chief and the people. This is the primary village Global Endeavors is focusing on for the time being. It is an amazing experience!

By the way, for those wondering, the beer is called Star Beer and tastes like watered down bud light.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer! Peace.

Happy Birthday to me!!!!!!

So, its not until Tuesday when I enter my second decade on this earth. But, I don't like a big to-do for my birthday because they make me nervous. However, me having the great friends that I do, they insisted that they celebrate with me. So, John came to visit me in Athens and Rachel and Aqsa came over tonight to feed me cake (Boston Cream Pie) and delicious, fresh-baked oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

It made my evening. Now, off to finish a philosophy paper. I have class tomorrow!

I hope everyone else's summer is as relaxing as mine is!

--Sayama

¡Hola amigos!

Hello from Barcelona! How is everyone? I´ve been so busy over here that I completely forgot to check the blog, but it is so good to see what everyone is up to. By the way, Bleedin Love is just as popular in Spain as it is in the States. That, and ¨Beautiful Girls¨ by Sean Kingston. I heard it five times in the first 48 hours here. Interesting music choices.

I met up with Matt and Tyler when I got here, which was great because they´d already figured out the layout of the city. I got to follow them around rather than trying to navigate on my own with my huge map out, definitely reduced the distinct tourist appearance. It was really fun to see them here, despite the fact that we ended up not going to Club Catwalk. Bummer.

Anyway, Barcelona is gorgeous! Everyone should try to come here sometime. Unfortunately, it´s rained almost every day I´ve been here. Apparently that´s very strange... it´s normally 80 degrees and sunny all summer here. Go figure. It´s a funny place too. It´s part of the Republic of Catalonia, so most of the signs are in Catalan rather than Spanish. And everything is late here, so you eat at 9 or 10, go out at midnight to a bar, end up at a club at 3, and get home around 6. I have 9 AM classes, so I haven´t been taking full advantage of the clubbing scene (as you all can probably imagine) but it´s still been a really interesting experience when I have gone out.

Not much else here. Betsy Allen (for those of you who know her) arrived Sunday, so it´s been fun having her here to explore the city with. I´m taking classes every day, although my Spanish isn´t improving quite as much as I would like. Still, the 7-year-old at my homestay is working hard to ensure that it does get better. She laughs at me a lot.

I feel that this is going to be a long post when I actually put it up, so sorry. A few things I learned in class today, for your amusement:
1. Soul mate in Spanish = ¨media naranja¨- literally translated, your half orange. How cute.
2. Dogs pant because they can´t sweat, thus they release heat by basically sweating out of their nose or mouth. Gross, but interesting.
3. Thoughts to ponder. Did Adam (of Adam and Eve fame) have a belly button? If so, who was his mother?

Okay that´s it for now. Miss you all! Have fantastic summers!

Kelsey

Magic Square x2

At least a good portion of you should have reacted to that title...(whether it be a smile or a flinch--I don't care. There just should have been a reaction). Went down to Valdosta this past weekend to drop my baby sister off at GHP. The kid is a Soc Stud '08. 

I was like, "Ammarah...maybe you'll meet your own versions of Deep Shah and Anant this summer!" To which I just got a look. Whatev. Little siblings sometimes just make you feel like bigger idiots.

Anyways. I think I got sick from the heat...And it's only June in Valdosta. Man. Gotta get practicing up on that before I hit paki-land.

For those of you wondering--the Magic Square. Still magical. haha. 

Back in Athens. Beautiful days, friends.

Ring Tones

So I make my own ring tones for my phone using itunes and a memory card. I just recently made one for the "Bleeding love" song but I had no one to assign it to until I read Anant's post and now... Every time Anant, you call my phone I will get to jam to Bleeding Love. Thank you so much Anant!

NOC and Ghana

Hey Everyone,

Anant couldn't have explained it better. We had an amazing time visiting Ryan up at NOC. Thanks again Ryan! Here is a picture of all of us going over Nantahala Falls, and Anant and I "riding the bull." Anyone who can should go visit Ryan!

I'm headed of to Africa and will be back in a month. Hopefully I can find and internet cafe and keep up with the blog. Hope everyone is enjoying the summer so far. See ya'll when I get back.

NOC

George, Rachel, Natalie, and I went up on Thursday and Friday to see Ryan at the Nantahala Outdoor Center near Bryson City, NC. We drove on Thursday afternoon - George demonstrated his Nascar skills on the windy roads of NC while distracting us with karaoke - my favorite being "Bleeding Love". After arriving at NOC, Ryan took us through some back roads to a swimming hole he had heard about - it was amazing...the swimming hole had a waterfall that flowed into it and was surrounded by rock formations. We followed Ryan onto a rock that was about 20 feet high and after watching Ryan jump off several times, George and I summoned up enough courage and prayers to try it ourselves. We drove back to NOC and had dinner on a restaurant overlooking the Nantahala River. We hung out at the river before going back to the Inn for the painful experience of watching Sex and the City on TV. On Friday, Ryan woke up early to get to a staff meeting while we went to the restaurant on the river for breakfast (the french toast was good but not as good as Mamma Shah's!) At NOC, we watched a comforting instructional video about how not to die on the river, and Ryan got us our gear. We took an NOC bus to the launch point, and Ryan led us on a raft for 2 hrs down the river. Along the way, even I was impressed by the mountains and the scenery and only talked about putting up a hotel once. Also, George was in a mutinous mood and briefly took over as captain. Ryan is a really good guide and made sure we got wet every now and then. He showed us some interesting old Indian caves and rescued a capsized boat's paddle. We made it down Nantahala Falls in one piece. As we went down the falls, George and I "rode the bull" - we held on for dear life to a rope Ryan tied to the front of the raft. After lunch at the pizza and barbecue shacks, Ryan got us individual inflatables called duckies. We felt professional carrying the duckies and paddles to a dropoff point before the falls. We each went down the falls three times with Ryan waiting for us at the bottom as our rescuer. Rachel had the gutsiest run as she fought through rocks and used some fancy paddling to make it down in one piece. We had an incredible time, and we wanted to give Ryan a huge shoutout - he took care of us really well and made sure we had fun. Thank you Ryan. I put our pictures up on Facebook and you can watch video of us going down the falls at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp4jDnTR4h8. Hope everyone's summer is going well - love and peace to all.

Helen's wedding and related festivities

My best friend is married! I am officially old. This is a picture of Alicia and I trying to help Helen out getting ready right before the ceremony. The whole event was really beautiful and so happy. I was so glad to be a part of it!

Alicia and I also went on a road trip to New York and DC during the week before the wedding, which took place in Helen's hometown of Gaithersburg, Maryland. Karen -- aka Hong Kong Wong -- was a wondeful tour guide and showed us all the sights. It was all really fun.

I hope every else is having just as wonderful a summer!

Maymester!

Well I am going in to my presentation of my final project. Then tomorrow I have my final and i am as free as a bird. Then I start work the day after my final so i will be free every weekend to travel hang or whatever. Now when someone is in Athens they should call me because I get off of work every day at 2:30! Hope everyone is having fun and I expect some phone calls! And i can't wait to see you Deep in D.C. soon!

Grayson's Wedding

It was a pretty awesome weekend because I got to see Deep, BO, Joey, and Grayson all in the span of 3 hours. Grayson had his wedding at Big Canoe Lodge near Tate, GA (an hour north of Atlanta) on Saturday night. It was something straight out of a movie - in the mountains, picturesque chapel, a reception by the lake, and a sendoff in a boat with sparklers. Although the setting was no urban metropolis with skyscrapers and shopping malls, it was a close second. Grayson and Katie were so happy and couldn't stop smiling. Deep has put the pictures up on Facebook. I also spent the night at Deep's place where Mamma Shah is the cooking world's best kept secret.

H&K take Europe

Fellas and Ladies,

I think I´ve been pretty negligent with this blog...Deep told me to start with the inaugural post and this is the first time I´ve looked at it. Good call with this, Deepo. I´m starstruck by the wonders of technology.

Good to see what everyone's up to. And to know that our class is spending the summer in characteristically productive fashion. I love the Anant posts about Halo at 5 in the morning.

Matt and I are nearly done with our stroll through the continent. Or, as we´ve rechristened ourselves, Dumbledorf and 98% Water Boy. I´m cracking up right now, but no one will get that joke, which is sad. Especially without the dance that goes with it. We´re in Barcelona at the moment, got in today from Sitges. Sitges is a small beach town about a half hour away by bus. Matt found it in the guidebook and decided it was a great deal. Then Kelsey had to dig up some info about it being a major gay tourist destination, which made snuggling up in our shared queen size at our bed & breakfast a little uncomfortable.

One more stop (Paris) before we take off for India. We hit Zurich, Interlaken, Milan, Rome, Verona, Venice, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Sitges, Barcelona thus far. Managed to stay out of trouble. Kelsey flies in tomorrow, so we´ve designated Sunday night as our final party night. Sounds lame but Sundays are a lot more party-heavy over here. Plus, Club Catwalk has sweet drink specials on Sunday.

You'd think after three weeks abroad I'd have something more interesting to say. You guys keep writing, it´s great to be able to stay in the loop.

T-Pain.

Posting on behalf of Deep...b/c the blog hates Italy

Greetings from Roma, friends. I am on the last day of my trip to Italy with sisters and brother-in-law. I was psyched to get on the blog and see everyone's posts. The trip has been awesome; we visited Venice and Florence for a couple nights each and then boarded the EuroStar for our final days in Rome. We met up with Ty and Moose in Venice, and they were both looking studly as ever. This is my second time to Rome, but it was my first experience in both Florence and Venice. Rome ranks my favorite with Florence a close second. I am really glad I went to GACS for high school after this excursion, because I understand all the Christian art. New favorite work of art is Ghiberti's "Gates of Paradise." 

Looking forward to coming back to the ATL for a few days before Matthew Grayson's wedding and DC. Rach, Anant, and Brit--when are you guys coming to visit?!

Hope everyone else is well, and hats off to Ryan. 

Wash U!!!

I just wanted to keep yall updated on my plans for the fall and as of today everything changed. I got a call from Wash U saying that I got in and I think that's where I will end up going. George has already said that he is going to come out so we can eat at this famous pizza place he saw on food network. I'ts called Pointers Pizza and they serve a gigantic pizza called the Pointasurus it's like 10lbs total. If you eat it all you get your picture on the wall or something. You guys should all come out and give it a try as well. ROAD TRIP TO ST. LOUIS!!! Good luck to all and stay safe!!!

Random Post

Haven't really done much this week. Played a lot of Halo3 (any suggestions for other games?) The Champions League final yesterday was a classic - I thought Chelsea played better the whole time but they couldn't pull it out in the penalty kicks. I just finished reading this book called Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe. It is an amazing story - they basically sailed blind around the world.

My brother showed me this clip - hope it makes you laugh, especially if you want to go into anaesthesiology...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuZl9tRqjoQ

I Love Lamp

Basically...Rach and I are sitting here movie-nighting away. Our lives these days are pretty much beautiful. The best part of the summer is that you don't ever have to say "no" when your friends call and random things pop up...unless you're studying for the MCAT (aka Kevin Chang). 

In the past 10 minutes alone, Rachel and I have investigated the origins of the "I love Lamp," youtubed "Anchor Man," and seen the rendition of "I drink your Milkshake." Yeah. That's the summer for you--lazy days and the opportunity to do anything. Could life be any better?

Also--you don't feel bad having watched a bad movie--b/c you haven't WASTED time. There's always tomorrow to make up for whatever horrible Ben Affleck flick you succumbed to today. 

Ok. This was probably the most wasteful blog entry ever. But. We just wanted to end the night with you all. Peace.

Also...Memento quotation: "What time is it? It's Beer-o-Clock." haha. We personally found that hilarious. To note. Alcohol is bad (that's my muslim endorsement for the night)....I just found that quotation funny. 

peace to the ppl.

Rach and Aqs

"Walk of No Shame" by AMP

Hey ya'll, So this is one of AMP's (the energy drink) new commercials. I think it's hilarious and describes college life pretty well. Just click on the link...

http://www.break.com/amp/walk-of-no-shame.html

Enjoy

Hmm

Well I am very excited that Deep made this blog, but i am sad that the 20 people who confirmed this are not writing anything! Come on you guys I need this, I don't know if you read my earlier post but this is half my entertainment most days right now, So write something Geez! O and I miss all you guys so call me i am in Athens all summer except when i go to visit Deep in DC and Augusta some weekends!

Pura Vida

Hey hey friends.

Just got back from Costa Rica...amazing. Needed trip. I'm at the point where I can look at pictures from graduation and '08 and smile. The night before I left, my mom got me this 2008 photo album which she started for me. I'm going to go through all of this year's adventures and print out some memorable moments...I'm at that point now where stories and memories come, and it all makes me really happy (don't worry Deep--by Tuesday, I'm sure I'll have some sadness somewhere in me). 

CR was beautiful. I met some really cool guys from University of Costa Rica--they remind me of us. Intelligent convos, idiotic behavior, fun-loving, laid back, yet passionate about life. 

I'm going to be in Athens starting tomorrow...and will be around definitely M-F. Let me know if anyone heads in there on a wkend, and I'll try to stick around. Otherwise, I'll probably hit up Atl/Conyers and catch up with folks there. Trying to make the most of my last Georgian summer. Catch up on relationships and make sure things are right before I leave. Heading to Michigan this weekend--roam around Ann Arbor with the fam. That's that for now. Call me up if you're in Athens (or are going to be), and I'll work my job schedule around you :)

later friends.

aqs

Holla

Hey friends! So I know I'm not a senior/graduate but I miss you all and this is the best way to tell you that. My days consist of cleaning out my entire room (mom's choice, not mine), prepping for the GRE (taking it Saturday... gross), and I guess starting to pack even though I don't leave for two more weeks. Basically that means being really lazy and missing my friends. If any of you are in the Atlanta area anytime in May please give me a call, I'd love to see you! Ryan, I'd love to come rafting with you anytime, that sounds like an amazing job. I'll let you know if I end up near NC anytime soon. Brit and Deep, I miss you both tons. And Anant, my biggest question for you is why are you posting on this blog at 5:40 in the morning during the summer? You aren't supposed to be awake at that time normally, and I don't think you need to be up at the crack of dawn to play Xbox (I could be mistaken though). I miss all the rest of you too and I hope you are all having fantastic summers! Athens won't be the same without a lot of you guys in the fall. If you don't have to go to schools/jobs until September you should all come to the first football game at the end of August and have a WW reunion even if no one actually lives there anymore. Anyway y'all have fun being the ballers you are and take pictures so I can see them on Facebook later. Miss you guys!

I start work at NOC on Monday!!!

So ya'll, this is your formal invite to come up to NC and come rafting. It's free on me!!! After Saturday I'm pretty sure that a little piece of me died and the only way to revive it is if you guys keep in touch. Please come see me, especially the ladies cause as cool as it sounds raft guiding doesn't attract Athens quality girls. Aqsa that means u too. Anyway, good luck to all in whatever your doing, but it's not like you guys need it. You're all awesome!!!

Ryan

This is an awesome idea! There is an open invite for anyone/everyone to come to Augusta. My day consists of a lot of TV (FYI - Price is Right is my new favorite show), a lot of Facebook, and frequent trips to Barnes & Noble. I'm trying to learn how to use MS Frontpage to start my webpage promoting standing room only planes. I just ordered an Xbox 360 so if anyone wants to play Halo3 on Xbox live, let me know.

Sad Day

Today is my first night with everyone gone. I am so sad! Everyone visit me please! I am off to bed because of stupid maymester classes and work! Everyone should call me to hang out! I miss my T-payne I have never been so lonely and my other man Deep is gone and I can't seem to talk tommy into living with me this summer unless I find him a job. Anyone know any good sumer job? I miss all of you!

Inaugural Post

Welcome to the blog! Great idea, no? Let me update everyone on my post-graduation activities:

1) graduation party with my extended family in ATL -- two thumbs-up
2) really fun trip to Lake Lanier (not...but good company!)
3) four trips to Hartsfield-Jackson

I'm headed to Philadelphia for my sister's graduation from Penn Med and then off to Italy until Matthew's wedding at the end of May.

Holla at me if you're in the ATL tomorrow or the weekend of May 30th.