Grey Sky Eyes [Carbon Leaf]

It's time for a real post, I say! (Not that that beautiful and oh-so-unobtainable dress wasn't a real post!)

It's the end of week two (for me at least, after a heck of a first semester I have procured the ultimate goal of any student - no classes on Friday!) The semester is up and going in full swing; we're progressing full force ahead.

So why the heck do I feel like the Titanic headed straight for that iceberg? I am already so dang far behind?! It's a rough world in this tiny academic bubble. Each class requires nearly 150 pages of reading each week, so it's easy to get lost in the pages. Not to mention I'm really anal about these things and read it all instead of skimming through the things that aren't as

important. Fortunately I have three whole days to get stuff accomplished.

But I will probably be working on getting things together for a fundraiser Monday and Tuesday at our little school to donate to relief efforts in Haiti. I, in my desire to help, volunteered to be the Student Union member in charge of the whole thing (hey, it was my idea, I couldn't exactly pose it and then leave it there to float or flounder). Which means that now I am invested so much more than before, and need to make a powerpoint to show while we sit in the lobby by the dining hall and collect. I'm excited about it, but also so nervous.

I'm always this way - I love planning things (I founded organized and planned and executed an alumni fencing weekend event at my alma mater for the two years after I

graduated - which hopefully will continue on for years to come), people have suggested that I consider something like this for a career, but I just get too invested. I want things to

be huge and amazing. I want to do things never done before. And then it causes me so much anxiety, because what if something goes wrong? Eep!

In other news - it snowed here in Budapest! Finally something pretty to look at! I know I'm fortunate to be here, living and studying in Europe. But I seriously have a crazy case of the Januarys. It's grey out all the time, the sun sets before 4:00pm, all the buildings are grey and made of cement or other stone-like materials, people only seem to dress in greys/blacks/browns. It's just depressing and I'm trying hard to keep my upbeat and spunky nature alive amidst it all.

Seriously, my bright green Columbia ski jacket sticks out like a giant blade of grass on a dying lawn. I wear a bright Carolina blue hat on my head, loud colored scarves. I am trying to project my colorful and bright ways on a city that seems to have found itself in the Doldrums! Happy thoughts, happy music blasting on my iPod, smiling at strangers (the Hungarians, on average, have mastered the "don't care" look when traveling). Anything that I can do to salvage some sort of sunshine in this month of grey.

Oh, lastly - I tried to go fencing last night. I had to talk myself into it too, as I was suffering quite a lot from the aforementioned January Blues. I dragged my bag through the newly fallen snow, onto the bus, down two metro lines, and again through some other new snow to find out practice was cancelled. The lights were off in the Synagogue. The handwritten sign on the door read "ZARVA!" (Closed) and some other Hungarian that I clearly could not understand. Was gonna try again tonight, but figured I'd not test fate and just wait until next week. It's a long trip to just turn around and come home!

I do not envy those ladies! Naked! In the Snow!

Gearing up for Valentines! So Cute!

This is just aching for a late night meeting between lovers.

Try to look at that and not laugh, I dare you.