So it appears that my dedication to school work and studying has paid off.

History of Gothic Art:  A-
Marketing:  A
Painting:  A
History of Greek and Roman Art:  A
Gallery Fundamentals:  A

I've never made all A's.  Checking grades this morning was like opening presents on christmas.  anyway, my gpa is now above a 3.0 and i'll be getting my scholarship back. my father is so happy about that.

ciao.

My mother clevery themed my 21st Birthday on my upcoming trip to Italy.  Before my 9am class my parents and brother stopped by and we enjoyed a bottle of Perseco (Italian Sparkling Wine) and genoa salami, proscuitto, pecorino, and apples.  After I went to my two classes and gallery meeting, I had a wonderufl lunch with leigh at sermet's. we had a bottle of white wine and soup and sides. i got flack from the mom for spending too much on the wine, but there's nothing i can do about it now.  after a trip to wholefoods, some delirium and rock band, i spent an hour sobering up and dressing for dinner.

around 6 i was taken to the rooftop bar on top of grill 225 and market place pavilion.  even though it was windy and slightly chilly it was so nice and beautiful.  I had a 13 dollar martini, i think it was apple and cranberry? after driving around the battery we went to fulton five, the italian restaurant on fulton st.  It was sooo good. they brought us champagne when we sat down. after some delicious spinach gnocchi antipasti i opened my gifts.  my brother got me a beautiful lariet fresh water pearl necklace.  needless to say after all the previous alcohol, it was slightly difficult to put it on.  my parents got me a stunning diamond ring. i'm never ever taking it off. i had some delicious papardelle pasta with confit of duck and mushrooms. after a bottle of red and white wine it was time for dessert.  the waitress brought me a piece of chocolate mousse cake with a single candle in it.  the cake seriously melted in my mouth, so good.  i felt i should order a cordial and settled on some limoncello, since it's italian.  it was so beyond strong, it was difficult for me to finish it. but with a chug followed by water it was gone and i was good to go.   good to go to bed. my mother tucked me into bed around 930 and very soon after that i was deep in sleep.

wonderfully generous people, good wine and good food pretty much defined my birthday.


only two more weeks left of classes, which means it's crunch time.

after 3042 games of Solitaire played, I have a new high score of 10371, at 72 seconds. This is really exciting. I'm sure I'll never be able to top it.

anyway, happy hump day.

tomorrow morning i will be two weeks from turning 21.  i'm really excited. mostly because my brother will be in town (and also his 'friend' who is a girl; very interested to meet her) as well as my parents.  i have a lot of things to get done beforehand, including school work. yuck but yay.

registered for classes on saturday:

early christian and byzantine art history
20th century european art history
introduction to architecture
adveritising
management and organizational behavior

i don't even want to think about the fact that my senior year is coming up.

I received word this morning that I was officially accepted into the Rome Study Abroad Program this summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You have no idea how excited I am.  

I am assuming that my days will include trips to art historial sites around Rome and its surrounding cities, long lunches at cafes with delicious wine, walks around the city, amazingly well dressed straight men, and exploring the night life.?

ms. guevara will be going too and that'll be supremely fantastic.

that's right.
change.
forget that tomorrow is valentine's day, it doesn't matter. 
tomorrow is a different kind of special day.
i'm starting an adventure towards self-actualization.
something like that.
(i really want to watch the notebook right now, but that's beside the point)
i have a lot of things to figure out and a proactive approach seems appropriate.
i haven't been that social because my feelings towards situations have changed recently.
maybe i'll try harder, but i really can only stand to be around a handful of people, i'm sorry.
so happy valentine's all you lovebirds.
-----------------------------------------------------
O Me! O Life!

O Me!  O Life! of the questions of these recurring,
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill'd with the
   foolish,
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more 
   foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of
   the struggle ever renew'd,
Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid
   crowds I see around me,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me
   intertwined,
The question, O me! so sad recurring - What good amid
   these, O me, O life?

Answer
That you are here - that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may
   contribute a verse.

-Whitman

grades for this past fall:

research and methods in art history- B-
new wave film art history- B
financial accounting- B
world history since 1500- A
introduction to theatre- A

gpa for the semester: 3.34
I have a 2.9 cumulative now, and i guess i still have next semester to bring it above 3.0 and possibly get some scholarships back?

waking up to below freezing temperatures, showing my parents these grades, making delicious biscotti, and watching the history channel = a pretty darn good morning.

i am done done done.  i have to say this is my most successful semester yet.  actually trying in school really pays off. it's gonna be weird the next couple of days, since my two rommates are going to be gone.  i'm going home saturday morning to allow for the attendance of the cheap art auction (where i don't intend on buying anything this year).  i'm kinda excited though to walk about town tomorrow and run errands and christmas shop. i'm getting bored, au revoir mes chéris.