COPENHAGEN DAY 6 | JANUARY 31, 2007

Can you make out what this top elevator button says (left picture)? I FART! I don't know what that means in Danish, but it made Clare and me laugh every time we got on the elevator in the apartment we were staying in. Now we are back at the hotel we first stayed at. The two pictures below on the right are of two of the hotel pools. The one in the middle is an elliptical pool, so you swim in circles. In the middle of it is a pool for kids and water aerobics. The picture on the right is of the diving boards and trampoline - they let you jump off the trampoline and into the pool! I have not tried it yet, but I must before I leave! These pools are not just for the hotel - they are part of the city sports center, along with a spa and courts for exercise and a bowling alley.

  

Our group toured architecture firms today (BIG Group - you should really just open this one and start pressing buttons, it is too cool ) and yesterday (JDS Architects) and it made me think, hmmm, I really want to work in Europe again! Both offices were very similar to Fuksas, where I worked over the summer. Almost everyone was under 30, and half of the office was computer work and the other half was model work. They mostly enter competitions and come up with very new and radical ideas (which sound ambiguous, so here is one of their ideas - to make the support under a bridge into livable apartments).

Do you think Steven would be happy if I decided to work in Europe again? It would have to be after the wedding, that is for sure... I could seriously see both Steven and I finding jobs in a European town to work in someday. I know that we both want to travel and explore the most of our professions. I just hope Data is okay with that!

One of the interesting things an architect mentioned to us at BIG Group today was about taking advantage of different job opportunities and exploring the world. I think that is really important to architects, because our profession is based so much on culture. Building styles are a result of what is happening in society. To stay in one place and never explore the differences between cultures (at least through reading if not traveling!) would be a sad life - basically shutting yourself in. It sounds drastic, but I am sure we all know people who do it.

Tomorrow is my last full day here, so I am going to try to fit in all the school work, as well as a trip to Malmö, Sweden. I would also say that I was going to go shopping, but I will only be window-shopping, things are too expensive here for this poor college girl!

Oh, and I added a Copenhagen link on my photos page - all it has right now is pictures of the Pølser stands, which my mother requested I take for some odd reason. I got to love my odd mother though!

COPENHAGEN DAY 5 | JANUARY 30, 2007

On most of the postcards I sent, I wrote about Copenhagen in comparison to Rome. And I find myself discussing it a lot (or rather, saying it a lot because no one cares) with my classmates. I know it is probably annoying, but Rome is another major European city, and I lived there for seven months! I would like to think that made me understand the culture there just a bit.

I have noticed major similarities, but also major differences. Copenhagen is similar in that it is a compact town, with a lot of beautiful things to see and wonderful things to do (aww). The supermarkets are expensive within the city, like Rome, and you have to buy a grocery bag or bring your own. There are less cars than you see in the US, but they still find a way to get them into the city. A lot of the shops are set up on the ground floor of old buildings, with residences above (like where I am staying!). The women all dress beautifully - right now tall boots and leggings or skinny jeans are in. Etc. Etc. Etc.

The MAJOR difference is that Copenhagen is CLEAN, not as CROWDED, people are NICER and most speak english. In Rome you felt like you were hindering someone when you made a purchase in their shop! Here, most people are more than friendly. Unfortunately, things are a lot more expensive here. I have read that it is because there is so much tax. In fact, many people who work in Copenhagen actually commute here from Malmö Sweden (which I may visit!!!) because the tax there is a lot lower.       

I have only seen two groups of homeless people, compared to the hoards of them in Rome. And I have not seen one beggar. There has only been one public "performer" that I ran across. The transportation here is easier - the buses actually have a schedule (and stick to it!) and there is an extensive metro system. You do not see as many public displays of affection here, which I was surprised about! And here the drink of choice in the bars is beer - not wine - which is what I was used to drinking if I went out with friends in Rome.

I am sure I could find a list of similarities and differences between any two cities, but this is especially interesting to me because we are supposed to be studying this way of culture for studio. And like I said above, I am sure it is especially annoying when I keep pointing out these comparisons to the people I am traveling with. Oops.

Anyway, yesterday was fairly uneventful. I spent most of the morning working in the library here, then most of the afternoon on the Strøget. We visited a neat Blues Bar last night (and tonight) to listen to live music.

  

Today was filled with boring school work - we went to the harbor to interview the people who work there.

  

We walked through the beautiful park at Kastellet north of the city. That is where the lame-o mermaid is. And by lame-o, I mean don't waste your time walking around to see it! Enjoy time in the park instead.

   

I am still having a great time - just tired and a bit worn out!

  

COPENHAGEN DAY 4 | JANUARY 29, 2007

My camera will not download to my computer, so instead of being angry and throwing it out a four story window, I am going to try to fix it tomorrow! Goodnight!

COPENHAGEN DAY 3 | JANUARY 28, 2007

A few random Copenhagen/travel notes before I begin my normal ranting and raving:

• You can eat and drink in places you would not expect in Copenhagen - such as the library and museums. The "Black Diamond" research library has a nice cafe and allows people to take their purchases into the library. There are also designated smoking hubs inside of buildings. It sounds gross, but is actually nice, because the smokers have somewhere to go, and the people who do not smoke know to avoid those places.
• It is common in Denmark to "pay at the table." You sit down at a restaurant, order, pay at your table, then your food comes. It is nice if you want to pay in advance, but a pain in the butt if you are the type to continually order drinks (not me). When we went to the bars, you would just pay right before each drink.
• I hate paying in large groups. Splitting the bill is awful! It seems like someone always cheats their way out of a little bit of their amount. That happened to us last night when 10 of us tried to pay... arg!
• Most of the shops are closed here on Sundays - similar to Rome.
• During the middle part of this trip we are all staying in separate "homestays." Basically, you stay in a spare room in someone else's home. This kind of weirded out my roommate, but I reassured here that it is extremely normal in Europe. Most of my coworkers over the summer were in this type of living situation. The lady we are renting from is a "Beauty Therapist," whatever that is!
• Copenhagen is seriously EXPEN$IVE!!! $1.00 ~ 5.8kr. A postcard is 6kr. A coffee is 25kr. A Big Mac meal is 50kr. You do the math - nothing is cheap!

Clare and I tried to go to Christiana, the deviant little hippie community in Copenhagen this morning, but it was rainy and iced over. Luckily, when we went back to our house, we got to hear and see some sort of band march down our street! I had no idea what they were marching for, but it was hilarious! We opened our windows and sat on the ledges and took pictures/videos of them.

Most of the rest of the day was spent at our cold and rainy site. You take a metro train to the south of historic Copenhagen and get off at the last stop. Not much is there right now, but north of the site are very modern apartment buildings and shops - I love this style of architecture. (These pictures are all taken through the metro so they did not turn out so well!)

   

There is also interesting public art east of our site. There is some big "sunken" (but not real) boat, and some other timber areas. I wonder if these areas will be accessible to the people who will live in the site after everything is finished.

     

All of the students got together and ate dinner at the apartment the professor is staying at. Julia is too cool - she made us all dinner, and plans to for a few more days!

COPENHAGEN DAY 2 | JANUARY 27, 2007

It is a new experience for me to travel with a landscape architecture professor and students. My professor is pointing out things that architecture students don't usually notice, such as interesting vegetation and water management systems. And I am also hearing people say things like, "Go ahead - I am going to stop and take a picture of this great shrub!" (click on thumbnails below for larger view)

    

Last night while we were eating dinner, Clare asked me if I wanted her tomatoes and said "Landscape architecture students love plants too much to eat them!" It was just hilarious when she said it. I think everyone knows I am a vegetarian by now, and they are cool with it (read: no harassment, NICK).

So far, this interdisciplinary studio is a lot of fun - I am working with fifth year landscape architecture students and some fourth year architecture students I did not know. Everyone is pretty cool so far, which is exciting (because I thought most of my classmates kind of sucked).

We mostly walked around and got our bearings today. Copenhagen seems very easy to navigate as a pedestrian - so far the bus system has worked out well for me, and the maps are easy to follow. Tomorrow I will tackle the metro system. I sure do love towns with a good transportation system - my favorites are Paris and New York, then London (in that order). The metro makes it so easy to hop on and off, avoid bad weather, save time, stay out of traffic... blah blah blah, I am sure most have quit reading by now.

We visited the King's Library, aka The Black Diamond today, to exploit the internet access there. The building is a new glass addition to an old stone library. It sits on the edge of the Inderhaven (canal?), on an island in Copenhagen called Slotsholmen. I really liked the exterior of it, but the interior was beautiful as well. I am not sure if the library is easy to navigate/use, but it sure does look cool inside.

    

We also went to the Dansk Design Center, which I was excited to see had an exhibit on cars! But it was not very extensive... in fact, the whole museum was rather small. There was another cool exhibit in there about consumption and advertising - it was set up like a little shop and all the bottles and containers were in white.

      

The rest of the day until late Sunday is free for us to explore! Woo-hoo! We moved to our "homestay," at the end of the Strøget. Our room is on top of the Louis Vuitton store and we can see down the street out our window!

        

 

COPENHAGEN DAY 1 (NOT MUCH NEWS... YET) | JANUARY 26, 2007

I am so tired and worn out... wah! We left Chicago at 10:00 p.m. and arrived in Copenhagen at 1:00 p.m. - so our bodies thought it was 6:00 a.m. Yikes! I am doing my best to stay awake until 10:00 p.m. here and try to get a normal night's rest.

We were slow and delirious today, because of the lack of sleep. So all we did was check into our sweet hotel (which is somehow providing me with internet right now) and walk down Strøget - the major pedestrian/shopping street. I managed to already buy a pair of earrings (for myself) and eat a delicious vegetarian omelet for dinner.

 

A friend told me that hot dog carts are big here and I did not want to believe him, but the whole town reeks of hot dogs, if you can imagine what that is like! That is the only unpleasant part so far (well, besides being sick). Now, I am being lazy and calling it a night so I can do more tomorrow!

 

TRAVEL WARNING | JANUARY 25, 2007

I wanted to post an itinerary so you would all have an idea of what I am doing in Copenhagen for the next week, but I am pressed for time. Instead, I am just going to warn you that this next week of posts will be all about my trip - so they will be more journal entry style (what I saw, what I did, blah blah blah). Just a warning, because some people do not like that.

Theoretically, I should have internet access at some point everyday - at a coffee shop, library, etc.... but we'll see about that!

In the meantime, you can email me here or leave a comment if you want me to send you a postcard from Denmark. Just tell me your address and I will do my best to send one out before I leave!

ALL ABOUT ME MEME | JANUARY 24, 2007

This is a cool meme I saw on Diane's blog, who saw it on its original source - Amy's blog.

Amy titled the meme "ASK ME, UH-HO-HO, ASK ME" and here is her explanation "Here is how it goes... I'm going to answer the five questions my friend asked me. I don't tag you. You tag yourself. If you want to participate, leave "Ask me, uh-ho-ho, ask me" in the comments section of this post and I'll then send you five questions that I am dying to ask of you. You post the questions and your answers to the questions on your blog. (You might want to include this explanation for clarity. Feel free to just link to this one instead of worrying about having to re-explain it, if that is easier.) When others comment on your blog asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions that you are dying to ask of them. Got it? Good."

So I basically posted the "Ask me, uh-ho-ho, ask me" comment in Diane's blog and here are the five questions she gave me (this is great because I didn't really know what to talk about today!):

1. Kim, what do you do when you can't fall asleep at night? I turn my computer back on and work on whatever project is keeping my mind awake - or whatever project I have neglected for awhile. Last week, I applied to an architecture firm online in the middle of the night.

2. Kim, a magic fairy is going to give you a $300 spa certificate.  How will you use it? Honestly, I would probably try to give this away to my mother, because she needs to relax and be pampered much more than I do. But if only I could use it, I suppose I would do typical (or what I imagine as typical!) spa things - get a massage, take a mud bath and go to the sauna. This question is a bit ironic because our hotel in Copenhagen for the first and last two nights has a spa!

3. Kim, what is your favorite thing about Chicago? My favorite thing about Chicago is that there is always a variety of things to do. If you make the effort, you won't feel like you are doing the same thing every weekend, because there are so many different place to explore! Along with this, I love the variety of people and cultures, and the opportunity for learning new things in the city. I feel more enlightened there.

4. Kim, how did you meet your fiancé, Steven (more specific than "we met at college", please)? Okay, you caught me - I met Steven at some fraternity party a few nights before I started my freshman year of college. I was participating in a freshman orientation program, and a friend and I thought the planned activities for Friday night were a bit lame. We opted to go to a party instead. The funny thing is, Steven and I are not "party people." So for us to meet at a fraternity party was pretty ironic. Neither of us remember who introduced us, but I do remember him politely walking me back to my dorm and sweetly asking for my phone number. He called the next day. Awww.

5. Kim, tell us about the best birthday you ever had. Not my 22, 21, 20, 19, 18 - I have crappy memories of those... but when I was younger, maybe turning 7 or 11 (there are pictures somewhere), my uncle owned a water slide park and he let me have my birthday party there. So my mom invited a gang (15+) of kids, some that were not even my friends, but my brother's, and we all spent the whole day riding the water slides and swimming for free! And my mom (and maybe grandma?) had lots of yummy food there for us to eat!

Diane is so awesome and here questions are a lot of fun! Thanks Diane!

MIRACLE | JANUARY 23, 2007

Miracle of miracles... I actually remember what I taught myself about Flash! This may not seem like a big deal if you have never used Flash before, but I can compare the happiness of this discovery to the happiness of finding out that you don't have to go to work, or that you won $100. It's awesome. It means I was actually successful in something last semester!

You can click on the image to look at the flash diagram - the search bars are not active.

This flash diagram is a mock-up of what a website might be like for my studio competition group. The competition is to design 7 public squares (A-D, F-H above). Our theme is "exchange," so we are going to develop the different squares to foster different types of exchange. It all sounds very vague, and it is, but it will turn out pretty cool in the end. This site does not exist as it is shown in the diagram above. It is an empty site (which I will be visiting in Copenhagen on Saturday!).

GOOD NIGHT | JANUARY 22, 2007

Today, I just want to give up. It was not even really that bad of a day. But I feel tired and am coming down with a cold - not a good combination. There is hope for tomorrow.

MOTHERLY | JANUARY 21, 2007

I am seriously losing my mind. I was looking for an archived post about my "motherly instincts." An american coworker in Rome told me that she thought I had them because I cared so much about the cats there. Of course, I cannot find the post now, but I do see a lot of posts in the archive that are repeat topics. Oops.

I was looking for that post because one of my classmates said to me today (more or less), "I am happy you are going with me to Copenhagen. You're a very motherly person. I told my mom that I would probably not be as nervous on the flight because you were going to be there. We are going to have so much fun, etc. etc."

I thought this was a nice compliment - that I am able to make another person feel more comfortable. But my response was that I do not understand how people think I am motherly. Because now a few people have said this to me. My other classmate chimed in that she felt that way too. I am "nurturing." Or something.

I expressed to them that I do not plan on having kids anytime soon. And they told me that was not why they said it, it was just some vibe that I give off. Something that they can not explain. Does anyone who has actually met me pick up on this vibe? Or even here, in this blog?

I think I give off the attentive, articulate, intelligent vibe on my good days, the goofy, spastic, fun vibe on my off days (most days; Steven can attest to this), and the bitchy, secluded, frustrated vibe on my bad days. I am not even sure what qualities make you "motherly" or even "nurturing," but I am going to take it as a compliment!

In other news... My genius father has successfully resurrected Kimbot from the dead, in under a week! He left me with instruction not to drive on holidays. I know!

 

This concludes my study that I am the favorite child (well, at least until my dad sees that I posted his "crazy" picture here). Muah ha ha.

MORE COMING | JANUARY 20, 2007

As I am taking a women's studies course, you can imagine there will be a lot of gender issue driven posts in the future...

I am hoping the course will enable me to understand the history of sexism, and learn how to better enunciate my thoughts and beliefs.

Check out this cartoonist, Clay Bennett's, website.

THE ONE | JANUARY 19, 2007

Today someone asked me how I knew Steven was "the one." It was asked out of curiosity, not skepticism, but I did not know exactly how to answer.

At the time I just said "because we are compatible, we enjoy each others company, and we rarely argue." Yeah, that really sums it up. I tried to explain it a little bit more by talking about respecting each other's decisions and careers... blah, blah, blah. Uh huh.

Of course, I was thinking about it later because my answer was so vague. The description I gave could describe any two people, whether or not they are romantically involved.

For me, I just knew (I am sure that is what a lot of people will say!). It is true that I enjoy our time together and we are compatible, but it is something more than that. It is when you always want to be your best around someone because you value them so much. Or when you try your hardest to not hurt someone because they mean so much to you. Or you think of little things you can do to make their day better. And the big one - everything is more fun with them around.

I know I am very young to be getting married - I have had plenty of people tell me that (including a friend from Rome who just emailed me and asked, "Still getting married?"). But who am I young in comparison to? Are they telling me I am "too young" because they want to help me or because they want to warn me?

When you know, you know. And when you know, and it turns out to be a mistake, you are still young enough to learn from it.

BOOK MEME | JANUARY 18, 2007

Do this:
1. Find the nearest book
2. Open to page 123
3. Type 6-8 lines of said book

If omnivores do find ethical inconsistencies, they feel it gives them license to declare us hypocrites and acquit themselves. Any vegan reading this has been at one time or another searched up and down for leather by a grumpy omnivore, or quizzed on the extent of one's veganism. If you're able to overcome these challenges and you're up against a particularly trenchant omnivore, you might notice a point in the conversation when a quick smile crosses their face and they ask "okay, then, mr. fancy-pants vegan activist weirdo freak, what the hell do you feed your dog if you object so strongly to killing animals for food?"

Leave a comment on what you think the book is... or what the hell you think it is talking about!

LIMITS | JANUARY 17, 2007

You know that saying, "If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you dream it, you can become it"? I don't think that it applies to everyone.

There are limits restricting all of us from certain things. Some really simple and obvious restrictions are age and height. You may dream of becoming a famous super model, but if you are 5'2", it's just not going to happen. Other limits are more complicated, such as race and sex. You cannot personally control what sex or race you are, and for some people, that may create a limit on the type of job they can successfully pursue, or even the town they can live in.

Basically, limitations are intrinsic to being human.

But I think the biggest limitations are the ones we place on ourselves. These limitations exist because of a lack of personal confidence and self belief, or laziness. Somehow, a school of thought has developed of "If I say I want it, I will get it, even though I have no motivation or aim to do it on my own," or the reverse "I will never obtain it, so why even bother?" (how's that for my contributing quotes to society?)

Too often I hear people speaking of themselves in demoralizing ways, creating self-fulfilling prophecies based on their own preconceived limitations. For example, a person who wants to lose weight, but does not have the motivation to do it properly will provide excuses such as "Well, I know I am overweight but I can't afford to get a gym membership" or "My bad knee prevents me from any form of exercise." Do you need a gym membership to walk around your neighborhood block? Are there not water aerobics or other soft-compact sports? Of course, my personal favorite (I am talking to you, mom) is "I'm just not going to eat anymore." Okay, let's all starve ourselves. It will get the job done, but is it really a lasting solution?

Another arena susceptible to this kind of talk is the job market. "I know I am not going to find the type of job I want after I graduate." Well, with that attitude, probably not. "I will never get that promotion so I am not even going to try." "I am not talented enough to even apply for that job - they will never hire me."

And what about "I am never going to find someone to marry because I am too fill in the blank." Well, if you really think some personal characteristic about yourself is holding you back from finding a mate, why not work on changing it? Chances are, it probably isn't anyway. "All of my friends are married/engaged. I am never going to find a man" (some people say this half-seriously, but someone people say it very seriously). "Men are jerks." Not really; you probably subconsciously are attracted to jerks.

Personal dreams and aspirations are not handed over to people - they require hard work, motivation and effort. I didn't express myself as eloquently as I wanted to here, but all that I am trying to say is that I hear too much of this degrading self-talk from members of my family, from my girlfriends and I even sometimes pick it up in blogs. I am sick of hearing it. I want to have conversations with strong people, who are empowered and motivated. Yeah, we all have our bum days of self-doubt (Monday for me), but don't live your whole life in self-doubt! You can achieve most of the things you can dream of, if, and only if, you work towards it.

So my question is: when are we going to quit placing limitations on ourselves? This is more than a problem with having a bad attitude; it is a self-limiting thought process. I may not portray it, but sometimes I am guilty of it (for me, it is mental because I have no one here to talk to!). I want to consciously work against this, even if it means being optimistic in times of drear circumstances.

I LOVE SNOW (NOT) | JANUARY 16, 2007

Since I am "Ms. Positive, Optimistic, my glass is more than half-full, dammit," here is my list of all the great things about snow.

SNOW PROS

• When it has snowed, you notice all the cutesy little animal paw prints on the ground that are undetectable without snow! Aww!
• If you are a woman, forget wearing heels! You get to wear snow boots! Hurrah! (If you are a woman wearing heels in the snow, I applaud you!)
• When you buy groceries and are worried about the cart running into your car while you unload, just park it in a snowbank (while you unload, don't be an a$$hole, put it back when you are done) Problem solved!
• If you are still in school, snow may mean you get the day off! Some jobs may even be cancelled because of snow (unless you are my dad, then you have to go to work because of snow. Sorry dad).
• Maybe gained a few pounds? Doesn't matter, when it snows you have to wear a heavy coat - everyone looks heavier!
• That's not dandruff, it's snow silly!
• You get to kick all that fun slush build-up off of the underside of your car (wear previously mentioned boots)
• Donuts in the SAAB with Steven
• If you don't feel like going somewhere, blame it on the snow!
• The sun reflects off the snow and makes it brighter outside

SEE OCTOBER 31, 2006 POST - MY POINT EXACTLY | JANUARY 15, 2007

After a little bit too much fun spinning out on the highway and completely destroying her front bumper and even a bit of her rear, Kimbot is taking a leave of absence.

THE BEGINNING | JANUARY 14, 2007

Since I really have nothing better to say today, I thought I would write about what first inspired me to create my own website.

During the summer of 2005 I was spending a lot of time on Star Wars related websites looking at images from the movies (major dork alert!). I found a website about Star Wars wardrobes - padmeswardrobes.com - that had a forum and competitions to create desktop wallpapers and other images. I joined the forum and started talking to different people who were obsessed with Star Wars. I realized a lot of them had their own websites, mostly with their graphic artwork.

I started joining the competitions (you can see some of that junk in the "Portfolio" section) and searching the internet to learn more about Photoshop to better my graphic skills. I became obsessed with learning Photoshop inside and out, and I started liking the idea of having my own website to put my (dorky) artwork on.

Then one day, I found blogography completely by accident. I probably did a search for some current event and found Dave's site. I fell in love with it immediately (as probably a lot of people have), and decided that I wanted to create my own website to display my artwork and speak my voice.

So I bought some "HTML for Dummies" and similar books and voilà! Originally Steven asked me how often I was going to update the website - "every week or so?" When I told him I wanted to everyday he thought that was crazy (probably because he knew I had nothing good to say)!

Even though that was a year and half ago, I think blogging has picked up a lot since then. Or at least my awareness of it has picked up. I never realized there were so many people blogging, but now it is an integral part of my life.

IT'S NOT INTRODUCTION TO PIMPING 101 | JANUARY 13, 2007

Here is a question from one of my class study guides: What is the cool pose of the badass pimp?

As soon as I finish the reading, I will let you know. Can you guess which class I am taking?

MATERIAL GIRL | JANUARY 12, 2007

I try to avoid being materialistic, but I probably don't do a very good job. I own a lot of books, and I take pride in my little library. I own a few nice jackets and outfits, and of course, there is the never-ending nightmare that is this computer (which has cost me a lot of money in the long run).

And then there is the engagement ring, which is undoubtedly the nicest and most expensive thing I own. And for some reason, attracts a lot of attention. I only knew a few of the girls in my studio this semester, and the ones that I did not know have already noticed and commented on my ring.

I will admit, I think it is nice when someone says something to me about how pretty they think it is. But sometimes I feel awkward and I don't know what to say because I am bad at making small chat. And more and more I am noticing that I cannot converse well with people. I start talking, with an idea of what I want to say, and all of a sudden, my mind will go blank. I suppose that is from being alone all last semester. Well, either that or I am going stupid.

Anyway, the last thing I want is to turn into a materialistic person. Some people shop and spend money... just to shop and spend money. I want to find a balance where I take care of necessities and indulge every once in awhile. Of course, it is easy not to spend money now, because I don't have any! But someday I might...

TOP FIVE QUESTIONS | JANUARY 11, 2007

Due to lack of creativity, I will just share with you what NBC's Today Show told me are the top five questions to discuss with your spouse before you get married. (I watch the Today Show sometimes in the gym. Is it it just me, or is this show more fluff than news?)

5. Have we fully disclosed our health histories - both physical and mental?
4. Do we respect each other's parents, and is either concerned that the parents will interfere with the relationship?
3. Have we discussed whether to have children, and who is going to be the primary care giver?
2. Can we comfortably and openly discuss our sexual needs, preferences and fears?
1. Does each of us feel fully confident in the other's commitment to the marriage?

Now, I am sure that all of you married folk had these wonderful discussions before you got married.

A good majority of my classmates are engaged/married now, and I wonder how many of them are actually mentally prepared to be married (hopefully all). I received The Nest Newlywed Handbook for the Christmas holiday from my parents. It is actually a book I asked for after borrowing a copy from the library for awhile. Initially, I thought everything would naturally work itself out after Steven and I got married. Ha ha. Even though it feels dorky to read a book about being married, I think it will help me out.

And it is NOT one of those "how to please your husband and be a good Christian obedient wife" books. BARF. It is one of those "ideas and solutions for common problems newlyweds encounter and how to discuss them" books. Awww.

Hopefully, it mentions somewhere in the book how to convince your fiancé to read the book as well!

WHAT A PROMISING SEMESTER... | JANUARY 10, 2007

The beginning of the semester is always so promising. I feel motivated and excited about classes... I go to the bookstore and buy all my supplies and books... I don't even let the high textbook prices upset me!

But all that excitement wears off after a day or two. I am excited about my studio until we start getting our extremely vague assignments. I am excited about my class lectures, but dread the long readings that put me to sleep.

Arg. Please tell me real life is more interesting? Please?

THE COPENHAGEN STUDIO | JANUARY 9, 2007

The headache (thankfully) went away, so now I have the concentration to write about my studio course for the semester. For your final semester as a design student - whether you are landscape, architecture or interior, you have the option to participate in one of 14 multidisciplinary studios. You vote for your favorite and hope that you get into it, because chances are, there is one that appeals to you more than the others.

For me, it was the Copenhagen Studio - aka Recombinant Infrastructure (because architects love to make up silly names). We are forming small groups combined between our studio and another to enter the Ørestad South Competition in Denmark (sorry, I could not find the english link!). The competition is to design eight public squares and three long passageways for the compact Ørestad region in the south part of Copenhagen. The competition has very specific rules about which squares must receive light, which must be used for exercise, etc. It will be challenging to design something creative yet functional to their standards. The entry is due February 14th.

After the competition entry is due, each individual spends seven weeks furthering a detail form their group competition entry(for academic purposes). Then the last three weeks of the semester will be spent putting together a book of my work (and included team work). Yay - no crazy models or drawings during the last three weeks of my academic undergraduate career!

And of course, I get to visit Copenhagen from January 25 - February 2. We will be doing the normal architecture firm, design school, competition site and museum visits while we are there, but we will also have the opportunity to go a homestay (is that what it is called?) with a Danish family, and we have required site survey work to do. Needless to say, I am psyched about going back to Europe! I have already been reading my little Lonely Planet Copenhagen book before I knew I was in the studio.

And... I am excited about doing a competition because I have never done one before. So, let's hope this is as good of a semester as I think it will be!

KILLER HEADACHE | JANUARY 8, 2007

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! My head is pounding!!!

I remember having a really bad headache on the first day of last semester. What is the deal with that? I was going to post about my upcoming trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, for my studio class, but it will have to wait for tomorrow. I am going to try to sleep off this awful thing.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE GROCERY STORE CLERK | JANUARY 7, 2007

I wonder if the clerks at grocery stores make assumptions about you based on what you are buying. For example, today, I healthfully purchased apples, celery, bananas, hummus and boca burgers. But there have been other times where I have purchased all junk food - pop-tarts, chips & salsa, buttery pasta and ice cream - or had a half and half purchase - half healthy and half junk.

No event occurred to make me think this in particular. I just think that if I worked at a grocery store, and a fat girl came through buying a bunch of junk like that, I would feel bad for her.

So, I wonder if the grocery store clerk thinks about this... or talks to her colleagues about it. I know that some of you may have worked in a grocery store, so let me in.

P.S. Check out Diane's cool new blog the bathroom blog. It is a community site where you can send in photos and stories of your best/worst bathroom experiences - at home or abroad. You know you want to check it out - the first post is one of my photos!

ONE MORE SEMESTER TO GO | JANUARY 6, 2007

Being back in Ames makes me feel sad. Not because I have to start school on Monday - I am actually excited about this semester; I think I will enjoy my classes. And it is not because the internet in my apartment is incredibly slow as usual.

After spending three and a half weeks enjoying time with Steven, Data and our families, I just feel lonely here all by myself. It is not the kind of lonely where I just want to be around people. I miss certain people. And I miss being in Steven's house in Chicago. Oh well. Wah wah wah.

On the bright side, now that I am back in Ames, I know that certain things will take me less time - like shopping (because there is no long drive) - and I know that I will be more productive. Only one more semester left! Woo-hoo!

EXITING SOLITUDE | JANUARY 5, 2007

I am a bit worried... I spent all of last semester in seclusion... in my apartment, by myself. I left only to buy supplies and food, to go to my one class, or to go to work (or to go visit Steven, ha ha!). Now I have to go back to a normal semester with Monday to Friday classes... with my classmates.

I think that some people are naturally social. I am not, and I have to force myself to make conversation with people I do not know very well (or unfortunately, people I do not care for very much). It makes me come off as being very focused on school work, because I am generally quiet around my classmates. Or it just makes me come off as a bitch.

I am worried that I need to be more social and friendly my last semester or I will not have good memories of my last semester in college. I do not expect to make friends with everyone and start partying and all that... I just want to get along with everyone, and not let the little things that bother me about people ruin my semester.

Okay, honestly? I know there are certain people who drive me nuts and I know I will have to be around them. So, I need to follow what I have learned before, and make the best of things.

SURVEY MEME... | JANUARY 4, 2007

This is stolen from Diane... this is a selfish little meme I am asking you to fill out about me! Just post your responses in the comment section!

1. Give me a nickname and explain why you picked it.
2. Am I loveable?
3. How long have you known me?
4. When and how did you first find my blog?
5. What was your first impression?
6. Do you still think that way about me now?
7. What makes me happy?
8. What makes me sad?
9. What song (if any) reminds you of me?
10. If you could give me anything what would it be?
11. Do you consider me a friend?
12. How often do you visit my blog?
13. Describe me in one word.
14. What do you like most about me/my blog?
15. What do you dislike most about me/my blog?

TRAVEL BUG | JANUARY 3, 2007

A year ago today I was on a flight to Rome for my first time... it is amazing that I can remember it so well, but it seems like it was so long ago.

I felt kind of nervous on that flight, not about the flying part, but about figuring out what to do when I arrived in Rome. It was my first time flying to a foreign country by myself (without a guide, parent, teacher, etc.), and our professors had not prepared us for anything.

But obviously everything worked out fine, and as I traveled more and more in Italy and to surrounding countries I became more comfortable traveling on my own. Now I have the travel bug and it does not fathom me at all. I actually miss the loose structure of traveling compared to what I am doing now.

Wouldn't it be great if I could find a job where I got to travel? We all can wish...

IT'S COMING | JANUARY 2, 2007

I've had to go to the bathroom a lot lately... it is all that holiday food backup (gross, I know). So I have been making unexpected pit stops while shopping, at restaurants, yesterday at the park bathrooms (that reminded me of Italy bathrooms - yuck!)... I really don't like using public restrooms, but when I have to go, I have to go.

So I developed a little list of public restroom pet peeves. Like the people who go into a restroom with a bunch of empty stalls but choose the handicapped stall at the end. From the looks of them, they are not physically handicapped, but probably use the bigger stall because of comfort. THIS DRIVES ME NUTS. What if a handicapped person comes in and cannot use the stall because some stupid teenager is in there?! I have seen it before, so I know it happens.

Then there is the people who do not flush the toilet. Have you ever gone from stall to stall looking for the cleanest (non-handicapped) toilet, then had to settle for one that was full? You flush it and see everything go down, so you wonder, why didn't the person before take the two seconds to flush?

And that questions leads me to the other complaint - parents who take their kids into the bathroom and do not make them flush, wipe up their messes or wash their hands. It is annoying enough that we have to listen to the parent coach their kid through going to the bathroom! I know, I know, parents have to do this (in case anyone was thinking about pointing that out to me - I know I went through it too!), but sometimes it is really annoying.

Today it wasn't though. It was actually humorous. I went into the Barnes & Noble restroom and a little girl was in the stall while her mother (I assume it was her mother) was standing outside the stall. The girl decides to give her mother a running commentary:

Girl: It's coming and it's knocking at the door!
Mother (in good humor): Don't take me through the process, just do it!
Girl: It's coming, it's coming!!!

I have never heard anyone say, "it's knocking at the door" in referral to going to the bathroom. I have no idea where that little girl picked that saying up, but I had to contain myself from laughing out loud!

WE DID IT!!! | JANUARY 1, 2007

Steven and I completed our 5K downtown today! The race started at the south end of Lincoln Park, at Stockton Drive, then looped north and ended on the southeast side of Lincoln Park. I think there were about 5000 or more runners there! It was hard to tell exactly, but there was a big group of us, and I don't think it really dispersed very well until after the first mile marker.

We thought that we would not be able to complete it in under 40 minutes, but we ended up with a time of 32:30! We were both excited that we ended up keeping the pace so well. It was fun to run with so many people, and I think that is what kept us going so fast (well, fast for us!).

We hope to do more in the future, maybe even longer than 5K!

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