As of Late...
I suppose I should update, seeing as that quite a bit has happened since I last updated. Let's see...
I finished my semester, and I think my senior project has been approved. Jerry and J basically told me what the next step is, and I have to get that done by the end of May. I also have a director to help me out with the film aspect of the project, and she seems really nice. She's super excited about the project, so that makes me very excited about it as well! I feel like this project is definitely doable with someone to help me!
On another topic of school, I missed Dean's List again. I was hoping I wouldn't, but I ended up getting a C+ in S&P, which pissed me off so much. I worked my butt off in that class, and I've been cheated of Dean's List because this woman makes her tests so difficult. She even admitted to us that she makes her tests hard and then she curves them later. So, for someone who sucks at test taking, well...I was screwed from the get-go. *sighs* In any case, my overall GPA was higher than last semester, which confused me, but whatever. As long as I continue keeping it above a 3.0, I think I can hope to graduate Magna Cum Laude (hopefully).
After coming home, I spent a few days just hanging around the house and such before flying to New Orleans for my cousin's wedding. This was my first time ever going to New Orleans, and despite the devestation they experienced almost two years ago, I had a blast. Firstly, yes, I did see some of the damage from Katrina. Many homes had tarps on the roofs, and the trolley is not working all the way up St. Charles Avenue like it's supposed to. Mom and I passed a section of it that was completely uprooted from the concrete. Mom went to the neighborhoods near Loyola (the college she used to attend), and she saw two houses that had the spray-painted writings from rescuers looking for people and animals. One of the houses no longer had a roof. The city was also infested with mold, and I think I'm allergic to it because I had to take allergy medicine while I was there because I couldn't breathe.
My aunt's house is located in a part of town that wasn't hit so hard. Walking around their house, I thought it hadn't been touched. Of course, there was a dumpster across the street for those houses still rennovating across the way, but my aunt and uncle's house was as beautiful as ever. It's an old house, built in the 1800s, with much of the original carpentry and stained glass windows still intact. The bedrooms all had beautiful four-poster beds and tiled fireplaces. There was even a back stairway to get from the attic to the kitchen. I bet in the 1800s, the servants stayed in the attic and used those stairs to get around the house without being seen while working. A lot of the furniture is antique as well because my uncle owns an antique shop just down St. Charles Avenue. I fell in love with their house. I wish I knew what kind of history it had.
Wednesday, after breakfast at The Columns with a very funny waitress named Jazz, my mom took my uncle, aunt, and I to the French Quarter. Mom then went off to Loyola, leaving the three of us to conquer the streets of the French Quarter. Let me just say that I loved it! I'm so glad I got to see the French Quarter after reading Interview with the Vampire because I finally got to see with my own eyes the places that Louis talks about in the book. Walking down the streets, I imagined Louis walking down the very same streets at night. I wish I could've gone at night, but I bet it wouldn't have been as safe as it was during the day. So, we went to a couple of shops, I bought a fairy, and we finally found our way to Bourbon Street. We walked into a take-out drink place, where my aunt ordered a peach daquiri and a mango daquiri. Then, because she bought two daquiris, she got two free shots. We both chose Sex on the Beach, and I took a shot with my aunt. Haha...yeah...I'm underage, but apparently, in New Orleans, the rules are very lax. I mean, the girl who served us looked like she was my age, if not younger! By the way, the mango daquiri was amazing...I drank most of it. ^_~ Then, we ended up at the Napoleon House and I had a Muffaletta sandwich (part of one). These things are huge! It's crusty bread, ham, Genoa salami, some kind of olive mix, and something else I can't remember. They are about the diameter of a basketball...if not a little bit bigger. It was very good, but extremely salty because of the salami. I think if I get that sandwich again, I'll go for it without the salami. And the bruschetta was delicious!
Later that day, was the wedding. It was held at Mardi Gras World. Mardi Gras World is a warehouse full of floats and costumes that are used for the Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans. The place was simply amazing. So many floats (including good ol' Oscar, the Academy Award statue)and the lights! It was so much to take in. The food was yummy, the band was excellent, and I just had a great time! The strangest thing I encountered there was a little surprise in the bathroom. I walked in, and a black woman was standing in the front with towels in her hands, bottles of perfumes set up, candy, and a tip jar. After you washed your hands, she gave you a towel to dry them with. And you were welcome to use any of the perfumes. I had heard of this before, but never in my life had I ever encountered it! At first, I didn't know what to do, I almost apologized to her for being "Yankee" and not understanding what the protocol was...but I made sure to come back and tip her. And there is still segregation down there...I mean, a lot of the black people I encountered were in low-paying jobs like bus drivers, working in bathrooms, hired waiters (like my aunt and uncle hired for the party at their house), and maid service. I was shocked. Then again, I do come from a predominately white area, so a lot of this, to me, had seemed like the past...you know, from "Gone with the Wind."
All-in-all, I had a wonderful trip, and I need to go back to see more of the city. What I saw, I loved. ^_^ Three days is not enough to get a full view of the city. Now, I'm back home getting things finished and ready for my departure to Long Island on the 25th.
As a side note, it is probably not a good idea to belt "The Internet is for Porn" in a parking lot while sitting in your car, waiting for the bus to arrive. You get some interesting looks from people. ^_~
Good night minna!
Ari
I finished my semester, and I think my senior project has been approved. Jerry and J basically told me what the next step is, and I have to get that done by the end of May. I also have a director to help me out with the film aspect of the project, and she seems really nice. She's super excited about the project, so that makes me very excited about it as well! I feel like this project is definitely doable with someone to help me!
On another topic of school, I missed Dean's List again. I was hoping I wouldn't, but I ended up getting a C+ in S&P, which pissed me off so much. I worked my butt off in that class, and I've been cheated of Dean's List because this woman makes her tests so difficult. She even admitted to us that she makes her tests hard and then she curves them later. So, for someone who sucks at test taking, well...I was screwed from the get-go. *sighs* In any case, my overall GPA was higher than last semester, which confused me, but whatever. As long as I continue keeping it above a 3.0, I think I can hope to graduate Magna Cum Laude (hopefully).
After coming home, I spent a few days just hanging around the house and such before flying to New Orleans for my cousin's wedding. This was my first time ever going to New Orleans, and despite the devestation they experienced almost two years ago, I had a blast. Firstly, yes, I did see some of the damage from Katrina. Many homes had tarps on the roofs, and the trolley is not working all the way up St. Charles Avenue like it's supposed to. Mom and I passed a section of it that was completely uprooted from the concrete. Mom went to the neighborhoods near Loyola (the college she used to attend), and she saw two houses that had the spray-painted writings from rescuers looking for people and animals. One of the houses no longer had a roof. The city was also infested with mold, and I think I'm allergic to it because I had to take allergy medicine while I was there because I couldn't breathe.
My aunt's house is located in a part of town that wasn't hit so hard. Walking around their house, I thought it hadn't been touched. Of course, there was a dumpster across the street for those houses still rennovating across the way, but my aunt and uncle's house was as beautiful as ever. It's an old house, built in the 1800s, with much of the original carpentry and stained glass windows still intact. The bedrooms all had beautiful four-poster beds and tiled fireplaces. There was even a back stairway to get from the attic to the kitchen. I bet in the 1800s, the servants stayed in the attic and used those stairs to get around the house without being seen while working. A lot of the furniture is antique as well because my uncle owns an antique shop just down St. Charles Avenue. I fell in love with their house. I wish I knew what kind of history it had.
Wednesday, after breakfast at The Columns with a very funny waitress named Jazz, my mom took my uncle, aunt, and I to the French Quarter. Mom then went off to Loyola, leaving the three of us to conquer the streets of the French Quarter. Let me just say that I loved it! I'm so glad I got to see the French Quarter after reading Interview with the Vampire because I finally got to see with my own eyes the places that Louis talks about in the book. Walking down the streets, I imagined Louis walking down the very same streets at night. I wish I could've gone at night, but I bet it wouldn't have been as safe as it was during the day. So, we went to a couple of shops, I bought a fairy, and we finally found our way to Bourbon Street. We walked into a take-out drink place, where my aunt ordered a peach daquiri and a mango daquiri. Then, because she bought two daquiris, she got two free shots. We both chose Sex on the Beach, and I took a shot with my aunt. Haha...yeah...I'm underage, but apparently, in New Orleans, the rules are very lax. I mean, the girl who served us looked like she was my age, if not younger! By the way, the mango daquiri was amazing...I drank most of it. ^_~ Then, we ended up at the Napoleon House and I had a Muffaletta sandwich (part of one). These things are huge! It's crusty bread, ham, Genoa salami, some kind of olive mix, and something else I can't remember. They are about the diameter of a basketball...if not a little bit bigger. It was very good, but extremely salty because of the salami. I think if I get that sandwich again, I'll go for it without the salami. And the bruschetta was delicious!
Later that day, was the wedding. It was held at Mardi Gras World. Mardi Gras World is a warehouse full of floats and costumes that are used for the Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans. The place was simply amazing. So many floats (including good ol' Oscar, the Academy Award statue)and the lights! It was so much to take in. The food was yummy, the band was excellent, and I just had a great time! The strangest thing I encountered there was a little surprise in the bathroom. I walked in, and a black woman was standing in the front with towels in her hands, bottles of perfumes set up, candy, and a tip jar. After you washed your hands, she gave you a towel to dry them with. And you were welcome to use any of the perfumes. I had heard of this before, but never in my life had I ever encountered it! At first, I didn't know what to do, I almost apologized to her for being "Yankee" and not understanding what the protocol was...but I made sure to come back and tip her. And there is still segregation down there...I mean, a lot of the black people I encountered were in low-paying jobs like bus drivers, working in bathrooms, hired waiters (like my aunt and uncle hired for the party at their house), and maid service. I was shocked. Then again, I do come from a predominately white area, so a lot of this, to me, had seemed like the past...you know, from "Gone with the Wind."
All-in-all, I had a wonderful trip, and I need to go back to see more of the city. What I saw, I loved. ^_^ Three days is not enough to get a full view of the city. Now, I'm back home getting things finished and ready for my departure to Long Island on the 25th.
As a side note, it is probably not a good idea to belt "The Internet is for Porn" in a parking lot while sitting in your car, waiting for the bus to arrive. You get some interesting looks from people. ^_~
Good night minna!
Ari