Yanaka

I felt that this semester. I was only surrounding myself with people from my program, and when those relationships fell through during the holidays I felt alone. The first time I felt that lonely since I moved to the US last summer! I have roommates, but we don’t share that bond. It’s getting better again, but like everything, if you rely on one thing and that thing fails even just a little, you risk being miserable!

I spent my first semester eating whatev’s and not moving other that the 7000 steps to go back and forth shool (7000 isn’t bad but not enough to stay in shape if you eat too much like I do). I’ve been starting to get back on track (rip, fit days) by monitoring how many calories I eat and by going to yoga classes. I wanted to resume kickboxing but it made me dizzy at times (the coaches were pretty intense, and I’m not obese and not totally out of shape—I can’t imagine what they do to other less able people) (not implying obese = unable). I think the priority is not to add stress and tough goals (for people like me, at least) to an already worried mind. Otherwise it just creates more anxiety and feeling of failure. Like I can’t get up at 6 for a yoga class at 6:30, and I’m not going to beat myself up over it anymore. I also find that end of semesters are impossible for me to gather my strength and take the time to twist my limbs around Vinyasa-style. So I think my balance (no pun, and for now) is a yoga class at 9:30 or 10, when I’m awake and done with my (long) morning routine. And I’m taking advantage of the first half of the semester when everything feels more manageable and bigger assignments feel far away. Does that make sense? It’s just an example and I have a hard time sticking to commitments, but those are a few conclusions I made from last semester. But I’m doing a master’s, not a PHD

Dogs are so much more work than cats—and my cats are already work. I planned on getting a cat or two, and I did! I couldn’t resist. But I should have xD I’m often gone all day, I’m already sad to leave the cats, and they are two and can play and go to the bathroom inside... a dog, I can’t imagine! Although I’m sure people work it out. Also I have to have them looked after when I plan on going to conferences and stuff. I should have taken just one antisocial cat so I would have been able to travel with it. Two aren’t allowed on trains.

Good! I was using Turbo Tax and turns out I can’t do it with them, anymore. Ughhhh. Now I’m avoiding that task big time.

Ouch? Or meh?

I’m reading them very slowly because I only read before sleeping, so I don’t know how far I’ll go. But I think they’re a good complement to the series—and so far I kind of enjoy what HBO changed... haha. His writing is also excessively macho, but well it’s relatively old

Oh yeah. That’s what I was saying, the writing is pretty poor. But I’m hooked anyway!

You'll be okay. You'll be able to finish your BA, trust me. April is still pretty far away You need to allow yourself to be sad for a little while, so that you can get past it and carry on with your life. We're pretty disheartened with the process, but if we weren't some kind of strong we wouldn't have made it through the process. So... you'll be alright! My cheap two cents.

Ha! Why not?

Hang in there!

My roommate used to listen to this one all the time after our road trip on the West side. The song went from exciting to sad for me, now! Okay; I'm trying to say that I'm dying to visit again.

Oh I'm pretty sure the Dutch system is better than the French one

They are starting a similar system in France, too. Well at the Sorbonne. You apply and they decide where you best fit. It's great, but it also sort of deprives you from choosing, I think. Your application is so cold and the judgment so subjective, their decision doesn't mean it's the right one... And I guess it also gives them a reason to reject you from (public) education.

Did they tell you that personally or was it an email? Because I get that one from UChicago and another one for an MBA every year from UCLA. haha I wonder if next week will be too soon to hear from Rutgers, and if it will be the week after that. The info I was given from the dpt corresponds to mid-Feb... We shall see!

Yay, @FreakyFoucault!! There you go. Congrats for getting into a top notch school with a BA!!! #goals

Why hasn’t Freaky Michel given an update, yet??!!!

Wooow! You're one of their favs' if he's been emailing you and letting you know about all this info. They might be scared you're going to accept another offer! haha

That's heartless!!!!! Hang in there...

Iz me. Just kidding

I don’t think it reflects poorly because they can’t know the error is on your part depending on the message they receive. Does it say that the link doesn’t exist, or error? However, they might have not wanted to give it another chance and could have brushed it off. I’d say you can call someone while setting it back up. Is that something you can do, or is it deleted if not renewed?

Many congratulations!! I totally get the desire to go back home. Do you still have family there? And awesome on getting the fellowship!!

Congrats! It's paper proposal acceptance time! Which university is it? Happy times On the LOTR matter: I'm currently reading Game of Thrones because 2019 is so far away. I am finding that although it's not grand literature, I'm quite hooked. It's very close to the first season this first volume, but there's just a little more detail that helps me understand some conflicts better, like Jon being a bastard and Ned being upset when people say he cheated on his wife. Also Tyrion is a lot more developed I think. So I'm pretty happy I'm reading these after binging the shows n times, because I enjoy having the big picture and putting faces on names, and learned additional info instead of trying to transfer a lot of info on a very fast script. I want to read LOTR as well, one day!

I went through almost the same deal last year when I was still in France. France is 6 hours +, 9 for the West coast. So it would usually mean that I'd be mortified from 3pm until 3am hahaha Edit: got confused with time difference!

I'm watching videos of Obama giving the medal of freedom to people for the tenth time and I'm weeping. Is it an acceptable cathartic method?

So how do you feel now?!?