Snohmygod!

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but if you're anywhere in New England you went to sleep with a world looking something like this: 

you're looking at less than one (2.5cm) inch here

And woke up to a world that looks a little like this:

you're looking at drifts of OVER THREE FEET (0.91M) here

Nemo really got us up here in New Hampshire. 

Like in Massachusetts, NH got put on a driving ban last night and today. Which I can't remember ever happening before this storm. But it's smart. I drove home from Maine yesterday morning (when the storm was still just starting) and there were five accidents that I passed.  It was an okay drive, speed limits in ME drop to 45mph max in bad weather and I was probably going 40mph most of the way home on I-95, but I was getting passed constantly like I was standing still on the road! Why people can't slow down is beyond me. I'd rather get home safely than get stuck in a ditch or hit another car or something even worse! On the drive I even called 911 for one SUV that was off the side of the road and in a ditch that had to be about 10+ feet down. The SUV looked fine, but still. The rest of the accidents I passed had cops at them already and most involved more than one car. If the person was hurt in that SUV there would be no one to call 991 for them! But, when I called 91 they said people were on their way, but they always appreciate multiple calls - it means that people are looking out for each other!

Well, it's 1pm and it's still snowing. They're predicting we'll get another few inches before it's over. This is one heck of a storm!

So, I've been spending my last two days in front of a fire, chilling with my parents, napping, and reading! It's been lovely and I've enjoyed it greatly. I am not ready to head back into the real world Monday morning!

Oh, and before I go! Here's some more pictures of snow. Because, really? What else is there to post about today?

I hope everyone who was hit by Nemo, in any way, shape, or form, stayed safe and warm at home!!!

Snow! Finally!

Source: seanyeomans.com via Courtney on Pinterest

Hello Winter!

Finally!

We're looking at roughly 12 inches here in Maine!

I'm ready for sledding, snowmen, and general frolicking.

Yay for an eventual winter!

For Auld Lang Syne, My Dear

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It's still snowing in Budapest.

The sidewalks are still ridiculously slippery.

And it's getting colder still.

But - I bought my train ticket to Vienna!

I'll [hopefully] be on the 6AM train and will be there by 9AM!

I'm thinking I'll stay until 6PM and get back to Budapest by 9PM.

That's a nice long day, right?

I'm going to see a DaVinci exhibit and then wander around

eat some amazing food,

buy things at the Christmas Markets,

and enjoy hearing German instead of Hungarian for a day :)

I cannot wait.

Expect an overload of photos sometime soon :)

Day 11: New Years Resolution(s)

Did you know that a good percentage of New Years Resolutions

go unfulfilled after January? (Yeah, I know, most of you do,

'cause you're brilliant like that). But it's why:

- Gyms over-advertise in January

(interesting fact: in NH, gyms have to offer

a month-by-month membership,

so they can't trick you into it in January)

- diet books get put up front in bookstores

- many, many other such things

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That being said,

New Years resolutions are hard!

Not because I lack commitment,

but, rather, life changes a lot in a year.

How am I to make a decision,

and "force" myself to keep it for

365 days?

Pfft, we're a crazy bunch!

So, my New Years Resolution

is to finish the

100 Pushups Program,

my thesis (on time),

and write more handwritten letters & cards to friends and family.

Those are do-able, right?

I sure hope so...

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

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It's snowing in Budapest again!

The sky is grey, and the flakes are tiny;

so, if you live anywhere that gets

a reasonable amount of snow, you know:

this could last all day.

I was going to go fencing tonight,

still may,

but the thought of dragging that bag

down snow covered streets,

really doesn't make me want to go.

I also have a meeting for

the Student Union Board tonight;

oh, I haven't mentioned that

not only am I in the SU for my university,

but on the board?

Oops - well, I got elected while I was

home in October. Funny, right?

No matter, it's been a lot of fun.

I'm getting a little headway made

on all of my papers - I've got a few started

and even one that's close to being done.

But still:

Latin Take-Home Exam [so glad we got it take home!]

5 papers, 5 journals (which are just smaller papers, anyways).

Oh, and that thesis thing I need to get started on.

Lots of work, and with deadlines in January,

Christmas break may involve me with my

nose constantly stuck in a book.

Wednesday HodgePodge with Joyce!

1. What is the most interesting thing you've done in the last year?

Summer camp!

Ha! You thought I'd say Budapest,

but really that started over a year ago :)

2. What is your most meaningful family heirloom?

I honestly have no idea.

There are a lot of things in the family

that mean the world to me,

but heirloom? no idea.

3. What food festival would you most like to attend?

all of them?

There's a great [clam] Chowder Festival

near where I grew up that I love.

But, anything in Italy

involving pizza or pasta would be fine by me :)

4. Snow: love or a 4letter word?

I still love snow,

though, at home it tends to become a 4letter word :)

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5. Can/Do you ski? Are you any good?

I can snowboard!

But I am awful at it.

My family isn't much for the slopes.

6. What quality in your best friend are you most thankful for?

humor

patience

a sense of adventure

7. Describe the coziest spot in your home.

in my dorm room: my bed

at home: curled up in front of the woodstove,

with the cat(s) of course!

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8. Random thought:

I go home in 13 days!

Day 9 with Aly & Molly

Favorite Holiday Recipe

This is really impossible to do from overseas

without my cookbooks :(

As my favorite recipes are for candy-cane cookies

(look like candy-canes, not taste).

But, I can give you another recipe I like:

Molasses Sugar Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups shortening
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Melt the shortening in a large pan on the stove, and cool. (wood-stoves are excellent for this!)
2. Add sugar, eggs, and molasses, beat well.
3. In a separate bowl, sift dry ingredients together and add to the pan.
4. Mix well and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
5. Form into smallish balls. Roll in (christmas colored!) granulated sugar.
6. Place on greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
7. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 8-10 minutes.
8. Store in an airtight container to keep from getting overly crisp.
9. If they do lose their softness, an easy way to restore it is to place one slice of fresh bread in the container with the cookies for a couple of hours or overnight and they will be soft again!

Hello World [Lady Antebellum]

Okay, yes, my last entry was pretty depressing (to which my dad commented: "do you need me to send you some valium?" see, the hilarity runs in the family.). But it was depressing here! I wasn't kidding when I suggested I'm part plant: the sun and me, we're just made for each other!

Take this past weekend for example.

I slept in Saturday until about noon (yes noon! I've still got it!). After stretching and taking my sweet time getting out of bed I shuffled to the window and drew back the curtains. I don't know what I was expecting, but I was wishing to be met with a sunny blue sky. However, I was met face to face with a sheet of white. An honest-to-goodness white-out in the back streets of Budapest.

And it was amazing.

Why, you may ask? Because white was not grey. Because white was just like home (actually, NC - my home away from home - got a good half foot of snow the same day. The northerner in me giggled as the state shut down - it was like the Apocalypse came early down there!). Because white brought with it the promise that the grey would end.

So Sunday morning the same thing happened - woke up around noon and was welcomed by some freshly falling snow. Ah the beauty of a blank slate poured down over a dreary city (to use an overused cliche). It was just perfect. It's still just perfect. It may be cold, but it is dang

beautiful out there.

But today. Today was perfect. The sun was out and burning so bright I had to bring my sunglasses to school with me. The wind may have been blowing, and I may have been freezing, but I soaked up that sunshine for all it was worth. See, part plant.

Saturday night was fun too - the Student Union hosted a party at a bar called Mumus (translation: Monster). I was there to help collect money for a fundraiser I have been heading to collect money to send to Haiti. It's been pretty successful so far - we've raised about 600 Euros. Which, for a school of about 1,000 students, is pretty good I think. But the party was fun - it was nice to get out of the dorm and out into the city. Granted the space was small and the DJ was pretty bad. But it was fun, and fun was something I've been needing.

Other than that I got a bunch of work done - some readings, a powerpoint about snakes and their (mis)representation in North America (yeah, I'll let you know when I figure out what the heck that has to do with Medieval Studies) which I have named the file as "Snakes on a PowerPoint." Seriously. You have to get your kicks somewhere, right?

I also have a slight confession - I've started watching Vampire Diaries since I've run out of my other shows to catch up on. I use TV shows to reward myself for getting things accomplished. Finished the readings for one class? Sure, watch the new Bones! Finished the powerpoint? Sure, watch Numb3rs! Cleaned my room? Sure, watch Grey's! But this Vampire Diaries (granted, by "started watching" I mean I've watched the first episode), I'm not so sure about it. It's cheesy, but it's cheesy in a catchy way. Though, I don't know what high school those kids are going to - but we never had parties like that when I was in high school (and that was only 6 years ago!). I don't know if I'm more jealous of those, or that I never had cute vampires following me around.

And just to summarize this really really random post, I've finished two books (for fun) since I've been back: The Road [Cormick McCarthy] & Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment [James Patterson]. As soon as I finish the book I'm reading now (What The Dickens [Gregory Maguire]) I'll write up a book review post. Sound good?

XOXO

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.