Trainride from Hell

The morning was so peaceful. I took the metro, the nice, clean metro to Union Station, where I picked up my ticket and a cup of cheap coffee before hopping onto the amtrak train to go home to Providence.

I finished my book, ate my lunch, and then we stopped at Newark. It was so peaceful until then. Now, I'm heading into Connecticut with a group of I think military men, all from New York, and I want to kill myself.

They remind me of the bros at my school. They can't function without eachother, to the point where they called eachother and made them all come to my car. Fml.

Now they are buying beers (because naturally these type of men can't handle going more than a few hours without beer) and are involved in discussions about which bars would be best to go to once they arrive in Boston. One guy complained that he is still hungover from St. Patrick's day, while the only woman in the group announced she brought her camera (no surprise). Needless to say, I might throw myself out the emergency exit. I thought that these kind of people only exisited in college, that eventually they grow up and realize that life is more than just being sent on trips by your job to get drunk. Talk about a downside to the realworld. Here I was thinking that upon graduating the men would mature. False. They don't change.

I have to admit, a beer would be great right now. At least I could relax. But it's funny how now I'm sitting here thinking 'is this what my life would be like if I had stayed with my ex? Thank god I'm broke away from that.'

Maybe it's a bias against new york. For whatever reason, despite the number of times I've visited New York and tried to like it, so far it is my least favorite city in the United States. Sorry world, but NYC is overrated. I like the Met, and the Cloister Museum, but that's it. Every other city I've been to in the US I've loved, but not NYC. I'd take Naples over New York anyday.

DC Travels I forgot to mention....

So I never blogged yesterday. I meant to (and actually did upon my return to the apartment, but deleted as it was a drunken blog), so here's my second entry, acting as yesterday's entry.

I awoke at 8, showered and packed my things before the rest of the kids staying at Amanda's even woke up. They were just hopping in the shower as I was walking out the door, which made me glad I was doing the day alone. I had a set agenda, and no one was screwing it up.

I took a wrong turn on my way to the metro, and ended up walking the entire distance of one stop to Dupont Circle. I didn't mind it though because the weather was perfect out and the scenery was beautiful. All the apartments had this old feel to them, and it reminded me of walking through the streets of London (or Amsterdam). I was loving every moment of the walk, as it was quiet and relaxing, perfect for the morning. I caught the metro at Dupont Circle, and headed to the Mall.

My plan was to spend the morning at the Holocaust Museum, but they issue timed tickets (for crowd control) and mine didn't let me into the exhibit until 11:15. So I changed my plans, and spent my morning wandering monuments in the warm sun, then headed to the museum.

Even though I've seen the monuments before, there's something so surreal about walking through them all. I can't decide which are my favorite. It comes down to three: the FDR Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam Memorial.

I started at the Washington Memorial, which is kind of boring. It just reminds me of a giant phalis sticking into the sky, showing male dominance over the country. Not very appealing to a woman if you ask me.

I then walked over to the WW2 Memorial, shot a few photos, then walked along the edge of the reflecting pool to the Lincoln Memorial. It was so hard to prevent myself from running into the pool screaming 'forrest! Forrest!' But I knew Tom Hanks wasn't in town, so it would be a waste. I loved the Lincoln Memorial, probably because it reminds me of the Parthenon, equipted with a giant statue. I sat against one of the columns for a bit too, pretending to be Owen Wilson in Wedding Crashers and reminiscing about the crazy wedding season I just experienced. Oooo if only.

Called my mom next, letting her know I was having a wonderful time in DC and that I was alive. I did forget to ask her the name of my dad's uncle, who's on the Vietnam Memorial, but didn't feel like calling back. I walked along the granite scar in the ground, stopping to read names and the notes left by school groups. One woman found a name and broke down crying. Her husband comforted her and the two hugged for a while. I should have photographed it, that could have been a great moment, but I felt bad. I need to be more aggressive with my photography.

I popped by the Korean War Memorial, eavesdropping in on a few tours, and then ate my lunch before circling the pond. I did the FDR memorial, being sure to photograph the dog, and then went to the Jefferson Memorial. I had to laugh there, because the memorial itself is a sad excuse for the Pantheon. It would be so much more effective with an occulus. Pfff, trying to copy the Romans always fails.

At this point it was only 1, and since I have an early morning, I will stop here and continue on my trip to Providence.

Peace for now
-Gaga

Cuz every little thing, is gunna be alright

So in the past week, I've gone full circle. Without realizing it, I've gained more from this trip than I had ever intended.

As I lie here, getting ready to go to sleep, I realized that I'm ready. Graduation is upon me, and now that I've been here, and did this trip, I know that I don't have to worry, because as Bob Marley would say, 'every little thing's gunna be alright.'

I started my journey in Philly, where I visited my sister and got relive freshman year. I got to sleep in a dorm again and to enjoy the lifestyle of sharing bathrooms and dealing with kids running up and down the halls at all hours. The issues Shannon dealt with, like picking housing or deciding what to major in, are things of the past for me, but I found it wonderful to relive those moments with Shannon as she makes her decisions. I also got to spend quality time with my sister, and I was so proud to see her growing up. I'm excited to see her grow over the next three years as she experiences college.

My second stop brought me to a city I want to live in one day. I got to see my friend Amanda, who is doing so well on her own after graduating from RWU, and it reassurred me that life after college isn'ty scary, but instead exciting. I learned a lot about how to get a job here. The biggest piece of advice: be sure you know someone in the field. By having an 'in,' you are more likely to get a job there. This is exciting, because I never realized that me living in DC could be a real possibility. I knew already that I loved it here, but now I know that one day I have to live here, and when is a better time than now?

Seeing Amanda living in DC also made me realize how fun life after college can be. You have a steady job, you can get paid, rent an apartment, and still be able to have fun. There's a lot of young people here, and I could see myself being very happy.

My final stop brings me outside DC to my friend Kate's house. She graduated from UMass, and now works in National Geographic. Hearing her story, and how she landed a job, reassurred me again that everything will be fine. Not only this, but she is at a point where she could really start making a name for herself here. She explained that there are jobs out in the journalism world, and that I can get one. And she can help.

So this trip has brought me a sense of calm. I'm ready to graduate, hell, I'm excited to graduate. If these women can do it, then so can I. Life has only just begun, and it is worth it.

This is where I want to be

Today could have not gone more smoothly than I expected. After taking the train to Philly and being able to go to the museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, and then catching the Amtrack to D.C., I literally had the most amazing day ever. I wandered the streets of D.C. to the Newseum, right off of Pennsylvania Avenue (hmmmm, ironic) and spent 20 dollars for a ticket, which at first I found to be outrageous, but realized it was worth every penny.

The entire display was incredible. I only made it through half the exhibit, catching the FBI display where we learned about the coverage of criminals over history, the Berlin Wall, the display of famous front pages in history (capturing rare photos of the 'Dewey beats Truman' newspaper), and the 4-D movie that took you through famous events in Journalistic history.

The entire museum made me proud to be a part of Journalism. It reassured that this is what I should be doing and that I would love every second of my career.

But there were two exhibits that moved me to tears. The first was the Pulitzer Prize display, which captured photos from crisies from around the world. The emotion these photographs conveyed were overwhelming, and I found myself wiping my eyes when no one was looking. I love it when museums do this, because it assures me that this exhibit is a good work of art.

The second exhibit that made me cry was the September 11th display. The room itself was small, as it had a wall devoted to front pages from that day, as well as in the center the broadcast tower that was once on one of the buildings. But what killed me was the video they put together. It was a documentary about journalists who were there that day, and how they covered the story and how they reacted. One group got an interview with a woman before the second tower fell, and she was describing how people were jumping and was just crying. And on film, the journalist cried too.

Watching this footage brought me back to that day. I can still remember every moment. I was in 8th grade, and right after the first tower was hit, a message over the intercom came on. My friend Kiersten's face turned a milky white and her jaw dropped. I missed the announcement, as I rarely paid attention to anything, and ended up being sent downstairs to watch the live broadcast from a small TV in the cafeteria. I saw the second tower get hit live, and saw them both collapse before my very eyes. Parents later complained about letting us watch this, but I was glad I did.

When I got home I watched the footage all night. It was addicting, I wanted updates. I think it was then that I realized that I could make a profession out of this.

With all this emotion running through me, I had to leave. I cried, composed myself, and headed back onto the streets to meet up with my friends.

There is a large group of RWU kids staying with Amanda, so we went out for drinks and dinner. It was nice to see everyone, and the dinner was not too bad in price. After, we stopped at the store to get food for the next few days, and then headed back to Amanda's apartment, where I spent the rest of my night.

I'd write more, but my arm hurts, so I will leave my writing for the morning.

Peace and love,
Gaga

Part 2: Washington D.C.

I believe we can add Philadelphia to the list. I have fallen in love with this city. Something about it gives off this European feel. I loved the northern side of South St., filled with artists and open-air Italian markets. I could imagine myself sitting on my balcony of my small apartment, watching the world go by.

Before I left today, I got on the train early and spent an hour at the University of Pennsylvania's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropolgy. (Talk about a moutful.) This museum was incredible. It was like they took everything I was interested in and lumped it into on museum. I was a kid in a candy store.

I got to the museum right as the doors opened. I was accompanied by a few students, who all scurried to class while I paid my 6 dollars. As I walked from room to room, employees kept asking me if I was lost or looking for anything or anyone. By the third guy I wanted to shout 'why no, actually. Some people actually come here for the museum. I know this is hard to believe, but it does happen. Us dorks do exist.'Although, these guys were all pretty young, so maybe they thought I was smokin' hot, which in that case I would gladly give them my number and advise them to come visit me. Rhode Island is only six hours by train anyways.

Yesterday Shannon and I did more walking. She had class in the morning, and despite my initial plan of getting up early and exploring, I slept until 11 and then showered and did my laundry, and by the time I was done she was back. Fail.

Shannon showed me around the campus, which was beautiful. I'm starting to get used to the layout of the school, and when Shannon talks about something I can say 'o yeah! I know where that is!' I loved the church on campus. It had raised Gothic arches with whitewashed walls, and was quiet, calm and peaceful. Even though I am not Catholic and not very religious in general, I could see myself relaxing there in my spare time.

We returned to Lancaster St. In Bryn Mawr for ice cream, then walked back to the dorm where I took my two hour afternoon nap (I love being on vacation.) Shannon poked me to wake me up, and we caught the shuttle back to Bryn Mawr for dinner. We had a lovely meal at Bertucci's, where I purposely got pizza for leftovers, forgot the leftovers at Shannon's dorm, and am now really wishing I had them because nothing is worse than starving on a day like today. We went to see 'crazy heart,' which won Jeff Bridges best actor this year, at this small independent film theater on Lancaster St., and then headed off to the dorm.

So now I'm halfway to D.C., and cannot wait to get there. The first half of my trip is already over. But now I get to visit some wonderful people and enjoy my time with them. This part of the trip will be spent more by myself than the first half. I have no plans of spending my days with anyone, but instead doing D.C. The way Gaga has planned.

Let's just hope the weather stays sunny and warm!

PeAcE!
Gaga

Philly on Foot: And we wonder why we're tired

After falling asleep at 3:30 this morning, Shannon and I awoke to an overcast (but less rainy) morning to head into the lovely city of Philadelphia. We got our things together, and wandered the campus looking for an open coffee shop, which we desperately needed, but failed. I guess some colleges don't wake up til 11.

So we wandered over to the train stop, where we waited half an hour for the train to arrive (we seem to be doing a lot of this.) Once the train came, we hopped on and paid the 10 dollars for the day. We got off at the Market Street stop and walked to the Old City but first we had to stop at Dunkin Donuts. That coffe tasted like heaven.

We got into the Liberty Bell exhibit first, which was quick, so we took our photo and left. We then headed to Independence Hall, where we saw a few old copies of important American documents, then left because in order to get into Independence Hall you had to pay for a tour, which sounded unappealing to both of us. Instead we headed back towards the Market St. Station with every intention of going to get Philly Cheesesteaks, but took a detour towards the City Hall to see the famous 'LOVE,' sculpture.

What we diodn't realize was that there was a St. Patrick's Day Parade going on, and so we got a treat and got to watch that unfold.

St. Patrick's Day really is an odd holiday. The parade was great, lots of step dancers, and Irish clubs and bagpipes (which I thought were only Scottish). Oh, and not to mention the drunk people. City Hall was filled with shouting, obnoxious drunks all dressed in green. I can't even count the number of people who we saw peeing in public on both hands. But it was still entertaining to say the least.

We then headed over to South St. for Philly Cheesesteaks. It took us a good hour to find the freaking place, and according to Shannon there were better options in the area. But this place was famous, so we can't complain too much. The sandwich was great nontheless, and on our way back we saw this place called 'the magic garden,' which was a maze of tile pieces and recycled glass bottles and trash objects set in a colorful and beautiful atmosphere. I took photos, and we kept walking.

We had a little trouble with trains after this, and ended up going in the wrong direction of the anthropolgy museum, and had to postpone that visit for another day. Instead, we took the train to 30th station and then walked 20 minutes to the Philadelphia Museum of art, where we only had half an hour before we walked back to the station.

But I'm not complaining. I had a great day seeing the city and absolutely fell in love with it, and I got to spend time with my sister, which was great!

We're heading back to Villanova now, where we will eat and then probably pass out from sheer exaustion, but it was well worth it. Overall, I would call today a success.

Let's Get this Out of the Way Early

So every trip has it's off day in order to be classified as a successful trip. I've always been a firm believer in this, and as long as you stay positive, and realize that it can only get better from here, then it will. Well, here's a story for the books.

The monsoon hit sometime during the morning. The weather was a constant torrential downpour, with wind and a chill that made your hairs stand up on end. It was clearly a day that all you could do was stay inside and snuggle with your blankets.

We ate breakfast at the 'spit' (since they call the main dining hall the 'pit,' and this was the south campus dining hall) and I stole a few packets of tea to share with friends when I return. Following, we headed to the library, where we spent the first half of our day. I got a good chunk of reading done, while Shannon worked on a paper only to lose her notes into cyberspace when her computer crashed (yet another reason why macs are supreme). So she spent the bulk of her afternoon trying to get the document back, while Kaleigh and I enjoyed Chai Tea Lattes and tried to help as best we could.

We left around 5, and they showed me the two dorms they could live in for next year, and at 6 we caught the school-provided bus to the King of Prussia mall. This place is huge! It has more stores than the mall of america, but is actually smaller due to lack of indoor amusement park.

I got a steal of a deal at H&M, and finally bought my Michael Jackson military jacket. We ate at champs, a sports bar, after failing miserably at getting a table at Bahama Rama's. Following, we got a deal for movie tickets, and went to see Shutter Island.

The movie was great. I highly suggest it, but that's not why I'm writing.

Following the film, we sprinted across the busy street back to the shuttle drop off point, as the movie got out at 12:15 and the shuttle was leaving at 12:30. We got there with ample time to spare, but little did we know it was only the beginning.

At 12:45 we placed our first call to Villanova's public safety, where they said to call back soon.

At 1, we called again, where they told me an officer would be there shortly.

At 1:40 we called again, only to learn they had not left yet and we would have to wait until an available officer could come get us.

At 1:41 I called a cab.

So now it's 2:02, and we're still here, but wait. It's actually 3:02, because today is daylight savings.At this point Shannon let out a nice 'fml!' And added the frosting to the cake. And all we can do now is laugh.

Fuck our lives.
Gaga

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia...even when it rains

So I have arrived at Villanova finally. And I must say that this weather sucks. It is cold, and rainy, and windy and it is making my head hurt like crazy. But I'm already having a blast, so the weather really doesn't bother me.

Shannon met up with me at the airport, which reminded me so much of Amsterdam's airport. You get off the plane and walk into a clean and easily navigatable terminal, and head straight to the baggage claim. We met up there and grabbed my giant orange hiker backpack (which Shannon said will label me as a 'hippie') and we walked down a flight of stairs and straight into the train stop. It was so convenient, I didn't even have to go outside.

We switched trains at the 30th Street Station, which is the central hub for all trains in the area. We had time to kill, so we wandered into the main area, which I quickly pointed out that it not only reminded me of Milan's main station, but also that the ceiling displayed influence from the Santo Spirito in Florence.

We picked up some brochures of places we could visit, and I made an incredible discovery. The famous Bull Lyre of Ur is held at the Philadelphia Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology! I have wanted to see this piece since I took World History in 6th grade and this alone will make my trip. No wonder Shannon is embarrassed by me, not only do I look like a hippie, but I get excited over ancient art. Normal.

As soon as we got to Villanova I met the group and we headed to sushi world where we waited an hour to sit, and then another 30 minutes to get our food. I felt bad for Jandy, as she gave up eating after 10 for Lent, and we didn't get our food until 9:30. But the food was worth it.

My sister is funny with her friends. Her hysterical wit and quick comments really come out with these kids, and I was amazed at some of the things that came out of her mouth.

Now, like any typical weekend with the Welches, we are relaxing in bed and watching Gilmore Girls. Very exciting (it's actually one of my favorite pasttimes.) More to come as the adventure continues!

Peace!
Gaga

Day One of My Adventure

So now that I've discovered I can blog with my phone, you all are getting the play by play of what's going on with my trip.

To start, there are bad rainstorms up and down the east coast, and I am delayed until 3:45. Poops. But it's ok because this gives me time to relax and prepare for my adventure ahead.

I already made a fool of myself and went to the wrong gate. Got yelled at by the woman at the counter. She probably thinks I'm an idiot.

Also, there is an oyster bar here at the airport, and it is stinking up the place. I mean like really really bad. Everything smells fishy, which could give tourists the idea that Rhode Island smells like this all the time, but really, that's gross. For the record, only SOME parts of Rhode Island smell like that. To name one: TF Green airport. And the fish section of the Barrington Shaws. Gross.

Peace until my next post!
Gaga

I'll Never Let Go Jack

For whatever reason, today I had the oddest craving to watch Titanic. Despite the fact that I had hours of studying for my senior seminar mid-term ahead of me, I felt the need to rush home and plop myself on the couch to watch the three hour movie of the doomed ocean liner. And I do have to say that I was glad I did.

In the nerdiest of ways, I sat on my wonderful 'sex couch' that was probably made in the early '60's, and analyzed every scene. I was fascinated by the filming and the technology of the scenes, especially knowing that it was made in 1997. The way James Cameron set up the story line to tell this tale pieced together so nicely. No wonder it earned Best Picture that year.

I loved the scenes that narrated the sinking, the way Cameron merged the music with the flowing water, with the emotions of the characters. He brought fear to me when the dishes fell from the shelves in a  slow motion sequence, he gave me a sense of calm when the band played their final song, and he brought tears to my eyes as Rose struggled to let go.

What I love about this movie is that it is the definition of my childhood. I remember going to see the movie, months after it came out, and the theater was still packed. (Note, this may have been because movie theaters were still cheap in 1997, and it was a good way to pass time on a Friday night.) I purchased the soundtrack, and spent every afternoon in my basement figuring out exactly what was on screen in time to the composition. I knew every line, I mimicked the dresses Rose wore by picking things from my own wardrobe. I even had the posters of Leonardo DiCaprio decorating my walls (although, if I had room on my walls now they would still be there, he is a hottie.) I was the ultimate fan.

But when that craving comes around (and thank God my roommate has it on DVD) I can watch it with the knowledge I gained as a child, and use my newfound knowledge of cinematography to give myself a whole new experience. 

Ok, I admit it, I'm a movie nerd, but I'm ok with it.

And I'm also ok with the fact that I cried at the end. No big deal.

PeAcE!

~ Gaga

Guys, we graduate in two months......

So today it finally hit me. I'm graduating in two months.

I got up this morning, with full motivation to study for the multiple exams I have next week, but ended up getting a wave of motivation to start looking for jobs. I had started last weekend to compile all of my newspaper clips and update my resume and draft cover letters, but today I thought, I should start sending these out. It amazes me that not only have I officially started my application process, but I qualify for jobs out there. And good jobs too.

I applied to one job in Seattle, as mentioned in a previous entry, but also started looking in the D.C. area. There's a bunch of really good openings down there, and since I will be visiting D.C. next week for Spring Break, I thought it would be a good idea to try to get a few interviews while I'm there. Doesn't hurt to try, right?

I'm actually really excited to start my new chapter. Thinking about it makes me shake a little, but it's ok. I'm not nervous, but anxious. I can't wait to get out there and start my life and to do something in the world. As of recent, I've been getting this feeling that I'm ready to graduate. It's terrifying, to think that in two months I have to start living on my own, taking care of myself, doing everything I can to become a full adult, but I'm ok with it. This whole process is so exciting.

After applying to four jobs, I decided to take a break and start working on my application for commencement speaker, which is due next week. As part of the application, I had to write a letter saying why I thought I should be the speaker. As I was writing this, I started to cry. I don't really know why, fully, but something hit me. Maybe it was the realization of how much I've done in four years, and the reassurance that my accomplishments will get me somewhere. Maybe it was realizing that the four best years of my life so far are almost over, and that despite my efforts, I won't be in a situation like this ever again. Whatever it was, it hit me hard.

But I'm ok. I feel a wave of calmness, a reassurance that everything is going to be ok. I can't really explain it. I'm calm. I'm ready to go, ready to do something. I've done so much here already, and I'm only 22. It amazes me that I've already done so much and accomplished so much in my life, and yet I'm still so young. Think of what I can do still. Think of everything that I will do. I would be foolish not to be excited.

So that's my story. That's been my day. I don't know what motivated me to write this all down, but my emotions are strong today and my eagerness to start a real life are present. I'm ready,and  I'm excited.

They Do Exist

Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, Leprechauns. All things that don't really exist, even if we try not believe it. For a long time, I had Guidos on this list, especially with all the Hype that the show "The Jersey Shore" brought, but I was so wrong.

Yes friends, tonight I had my first experience with real life Guidos. They fist pumped, danced only with each other, drank Jager Bombs. And all i could think was 'Dear God, am I in Hell?" They were everywhere, drinking and fist pumping to a Dave Matthews cover band (classy, right). I wanted to tap each one on the shoulder and tell them we had a "Jersey Shore" themed party last month.

The first guy i noticed was wearing one of those uber-Guido shirts with the black gothic tattoo print on it, and had the mini-blowout cut (which I'm assuming he plans on growing out to give him that "Pauly-D" look). I made a comment about "The Situation" being in the house, in my own sarcastic and joking way, until he ordered three Jager Bombs and brought over his two overly-muscular Guido friends to join in. 

I never saw any women actually give them attention. At the "Jersey Shore," the characters (and yes, they are still characters) would bring home a new girl each night, but all I saw was rejection after rejection after rejection. Then the first guy came over to me and my friends.

The guy tried three times before I had to lie and tell him I had a boyfriend and that he would come and find him if he bothered me again. He seemed harmless, as he kept trying to get me to dance, but really, he was just getting on my nerves. He also looked like he was under 21. I should have asked for I.D. 

There was a very large guy who hit on Kerry, but she got rid of him quick. But by far, my favorite was the only mildly-attractive guy who tried to 'reel us in like fish caught on a hook" to get us to come to the dance floor. it was then I knew it was time to go home.

So, for all you non-believers, Guidos exist. Or maybe wannabe-guidos. Either way, they are around. 

And for all you Guidos, Pauly-D may be from Rhode Island, but that doesn't allow you to act that way. 

What do you think?

Check it out. Seattle. Seems pretty cool if you ask me. But why?

Well, today my mom called me and said that there were multiple job opportunities in Seattle working with Amazon.com, and after checking it out online, I realized that this is a very real possibility.

Now, I've always been one to believe in signs, and this city has always come into conversation when I discuss jobs and my future. To name a few, my best friend already has a job lined up there, Steve has always said it's a great city to visit, and there are countless other people who have said nothing but wonderful things about the city. 

This has not been the first time a future in Seattle has been brought to my attention, and to be honest, the idea sounds wonderful. I've never been there before, and moving there would be an adventure.

I've already decided to apply. The fact that graduation is so close crept up on me today, and the reality that A. I need to find a job, and B. I can go anywhere for that job, kind of caught me off guard. But I'm not nervous. No, I'm excited. I can go anywhere and do anything, and this is the adventure I've been patiently waiting for. People always say that between 18 and 25, your life goes by so fast and you change so much. Well, it's true. My world will be wide open in a matter of months, and I need to start thinking about where I can go and what I can do. It's time for my long awaited adventure. I'm nervous, but it's a good nervous. I'm excited to start fresh, and to get out there and do something.