ACHT. EIGHT. 八. HUIT. OCHO. صفر . OTTO. ゼ.

He did it.

He's moving back to Baltimore.

He's uber fit.

And he has a girlfriend, dangit.

Cheerio and Ciao and Guess who'll be trick-or-treating in Rodger's Forge this year?

Reminisce

Purples!  I am still here, I have not died.  Or lost touch with reality.  Or forgotten to brush my teeth (yeah, I just lied about that last one).

My first year of graduate school is officially over (thank GOD) and it's on to more school.  Two more years, to be exact (OK, it's actually 1.75 years, to be exactly exact).  Let's see...  What's new with me (I'll pretend you all care):

- I live in Baltimore now, with my aunt (Dad's sister, Debbie) who happens to be THE nicest, most generous and giving person I know.

- All I can currently think about (now that I've got room since school's out for another 4 weeks) are the ongoing Beijing Olympics.  And the fact that I'm pretty sure I'm witnessing swimming history.  And it happens to be courtest of my neighbor.

- ...

Yeah, all I can think about are Olympics.

Cheerio and Ciao and GO PHELPS, EIGHT FOR EIGHT!!!

Woot.

So graduate school is pretty fun, I'm not going to lie.  So far it's been relatively easy and I'm having a blast getting to know all the girls (yes, pretty much all girls) in my progam.  What else is new...  I started voice lessons!  I've had a lot of fun playing with the talent God's given me...  I think the "opera gene" from my mom is starting to rear its head ;)  I have a slew of new students here in Baltimore and a recital scheduled for next weekend.  There are only 5 students playing (two are coming but are too nervous to play, and two had scheduling issues), so it should be short and very sweet.  They're all so cute!

I can't promise I'll write more frequently, but I just wanted to let you know I haven't disappeared.  ...Yet.

Cheerio and Ciao and Mandaliet!

You know what?

I give up.

That's all I can do.

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."

I Peter 3:6-7

Cheerio and Ciao and *see above*

Spring is [not] here!

Ah, snow!  Makes me uber happy.

So!  Went back to NYC yesterday with Aunt Debbie, Kins, and Gina - here are some highlights:

We unknowingly bought tickets to ride (what we named) the Wonton Express.  The smell on the bus went from Chinese food to insufferable when the toilet malfunctioned.  We almost died.  (Do not think that just because Kins is laughing she is happy.  She is smiling to keep from vomiting.)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC has some amazing artifacts.  No, not "some" - A BILLION TRILLION!!!  It was more like a pantry or old lady's attic than a museum because there was shelf after shelf after shelf of priceless artifacts...

Like Egyptian knick-knacks.

Or "I like your sleeves" and "Are you kidding me?!" statues. 

Gina and Kins play "Phantom of the Opera" on the giant organ.  (I think Gina missed her calling...)

Hall of the... Knights?  (That's the Phantom organ in the balcony back there!)

This is a beautiful, high-ceilinged room where part of an Egyptian temply is on display.  You can see the temple in the background.  Larger-than-life statues of Egyptian nobility are staggered all over the room.

Kins' favorite hat.  Sadly, there was no replica for sale in the museum shop.

The Starbucks lady!

I see how it is!  I repeatedly get yelled at for accidentally (and sometimes not accidentally) taking pictures with my flash, but they let Gina climb in the ancient tub?!  (Just kidding - she's squatting on the other side.  But it really looks like she's in it, doesn't it?!)

Kins said she'd practice "everyday... maybe" if her living room was graced with this bad boy of a piano.

Gina, Kins, and Aunt Debbie in Grand Central Station!

Special place in Little Italy where we had a really crazy rich dinner.  It's strange to eat in a neighborhood restaurant that's got a 103 year history and is still going strong...

Cheerio and Ciao and Oh, I forgot to tell you all about wiping out on 49th and Madison while I crossed the street.  I am such a klutz!  I went down - hard - and in the process threw my shopping bag across the street.  Yeah, that was fun...  A moment in time that I shan't soon forget (my bruised knees won't let me)!