Discombobulated, Yet Organized

I have been ridiculously confused for the entire month. Ever since the election, I've had to ask myself what day it is because the election was on a Tuesday. Nothing happens on Tuesdays. Movies come out on DVDs on Tuesdays, and that's all that ever happens. So that threw me off. Then the following Tuesday was Veteran's Day, giving us a day off from school. Everyday feels like the day it's not. Today's Sunday, but it feels like a Monday. Tomorrow's Monday and it's probaby going to feel like a Thursday. The weather isn't helping, either. It was 65 yesterday. Sixty-five! In November! At least it was the right temperature today. As much as I would love it to stay warm so I could run outside, I would be unbelievably confused.

I can't wait for Thanksgiving. It's not like I need to get away, I just need to see some people. A lot of people actually. It sucks that I only have Wednesday through Sunday to do so. I have to see Bob, my life basically depends on it. And I'm only kidding a little bit. I miss Alex so much more than either of us ever thought possible. I saw him probably 350 out of 365 days a year for fifteen years. To go from that to never seeing someone is a lot harder than you would think. I can't wait to see my sister. Thank God I'll see Drew Friday. And Saturday. And Sunday. There are so many people I could list right now, but it would take days.

Aside from my confusion and heartaches, I'm really on top of my work. I still have 10 days before I go home, so I'll be 100% work free at the rate I'm going. I'm determined to be. It will happen. I have too much to do and not enough time to worry about Berklee.

Major Update

Alright, now that I have some time, I feel like I should update.

Berklee has been amazing so far. I've met so many great (and talented) people as well as reunited with some old Guitar Session buddies. All in all, it's been a blast so far. Other than an hour or so at the Registrar's office getting my schedule sorted out (it was a mess), it's been smooth sailing.

My classes are great. I like all my teachers. And I have an awesome schedule. The latest I'm ever done is four o'clock (plenty of time to get tickets to the game), and that's only on Fridays. I'm done at noon on Mondays, three on Tuesdays and Thursdays, one on Wednesday, and four on Fridays. And next Friday I'm done at one because of a concert going on! Woo!

I've spent just as much time at Fenway Park as I have at Berklee. In five days I went to three games. As Julia says, I have become Jimmy Fallon in 'Fever Pitch,' and she's right. Now that I live here, I have to go to as many games as possible. I even met the Guy that Sits Behind Home Plate! That was so cool. Basically I met a local legend. I plan on befriending him, if it's possible to.

It's funny: now that I feel like I'm forced to practice (otherwise I'll be sloppy and not get a good grade for, well, playing guitar (weird, now that I think about it..Being graded..)), I don't practice nearly as much as I did. I'm also kind of on a creative halt. I haven't written a song in a very long time. I have lyrics, and I have music, it's just that nothing fits. I need to get back into the swing of things.

I'm still trying to figure out the proper balance of homework, practicing/songwriting, socializing, and (by far the most important hahaha) going to Red Sox games. I think by the end of the month I should have it down to a science. Or at least by Midterms I'll have it all together.

Sometimes I wonder how I got in. I've heard so many great players, it (sometimes) makes me question my own abilities. But that only happens for a brief moment from time to time.

I do miss my friends (Drew, Alex, and Jordan in particular), and I obviously miss Bob more than I could ever say. My first lesson was weird. Even though I knew my teacher (Thaddeus Hogarth, possibly the coolest name ever) wasn't going to be Bob, I expected him to be. And even though I knew my lesson was only going to be half an hour, I expected to be there 'til who knows when. Yesterday's lesson was much better than my first.

I'm gonna go now. I need to pick up my room a bit before I get ready for bed. I should practice a bit, too. Or maybe I'll go join my neighbors in singing Something Corporate songs. Definitely one of the three.

Tu Me Manques

As much a I love being in Europe, I do miss some people (yeah, you know who you are). It's funny though: Now that I have the Mac, I almost miss them more because I can communicate constantly. It definitely has more benefits than downsides, but still. It kills me in a way to know that I won't see ANY of my friends until the 19th at the earliest, and I won't see Bob until after the 22nd (sucks BIG TIME).

Most of you might ask if I miss them now, what will I do come Berklee time? Well, I'll have Danielle and Julia in the Boston-area. Julia (thank God) is right down the street, and Danielle is a T-ride away. Unfortunately, Drew is going be in UMaine (Orono), Jordan's going to be at Colby (Waterville), and Alex will be in DC (which is actually the easiest for me to get to). But college is different than being abroad with only your family--you make friends at school. Don't get me started on Bob. I hate knowing that I won't see him on Monday. Yes, I'll be in Copenhagen, but a big part of me wants to (almost needs to) see Bob on Monday.

...I just realized why I miss my friends so much. Everytime I've been to Europe, I've gone with at least one of my close friends (and Dale came once, too). This time I'm only with my parents! And we're not going 24/7. I don't have Debbie to entertain me. I don't have Mrs. Roller to get me lost at 1 in morning in Italy. I don't have Danielle to break any toilets or to fall asleep as the maintenance man comes to fix the drain. I don't have Jordan to be my on-again-off-again boyfriend. I don't have Julia to be the only European-looking American with me. It's much different, and I love change, but I think I enjoy Europe with friends more than I do with parents. Not that I'm not enjoying it, but you know what I mean. Even if I have a guitar, I'd rather have my best friends with me.

I think once we're out of Ireland, it'll be much more fun. Dublin's cool, but I can't wait for London.

Seas Would Rise When I Gave The Word

I love long weekends. And you know what makes them even better? When you have a guitar lesson on Friday and then again on Monday. Due to HonCon, I had to reschedule to an unknown day later in the week, and said day happened to be Friday. I love it when that happens.

I worked this weekend. For the first time in 36 days, I worked. Friday, Saturday, and today (Sunday). I don't mind work, I just bitch about it when I'm not there. Once I get there I'm fine, it's getting there that's hard. I love the people, hate that I come home smelling like a pizza.

So tonight I could've gone to a bonfire at the beach with my friends, but I chose to be a recluse and stay home and play guitar. Nothing against bonfires or my friends. I love them both, I've just been extremely compelled to play guitar these days. My 12-year-old neighbor was here today while I was playing guitar, and he asked, 'Is this what you do all day?' And I said, 'Basically, yeah.' And lately that has definitely been true. I can't help it. I can't explain how it makes me feel, but it's something else. I love every second of it. Every single second. If I could play in my sleep, I would.

I've been obsessed with two things lately: Cream and Coldplay's new song 'Viva la Vida'. I've listened to 'Viva la Vida' more times than I can count, and Cream is unbelievable. Eric Clapton has always been my favorite guitarist but something happened a few days ago and Cream has become the center of my attention. Eric Clapton speaks to me like no other guitarist. There's a reason for the 'Clapton is God' graffiti. Hendrix is a god, too, but there's something in Clapton's playing that gets me. I'm not gonna try to explain it because I can't.

Alright, it's guitar time, and I just received a text from someone telling me where the fire is. Ha.