Wee! Fun with pictures

Now that I've finally loaded Hello and can post pictures, here are some from the lovely vacation we spent in St. Augustine. This is the house we rented. Mom found it online and we were a little trepidatious until we got there. Then we sang her praises for 10 days straight.

And this was the view outside our window. 

This is what I looked like most of the time. Vacation rules. 

And Dad wakes up early to take nice pictures of sunrises. 

Arrr. Pirates.

What kind of pirate am I? You decide!
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Cleveland people - does anyone have contact info for Mark and/or Kate? I sent an e-mail to the last address I have for either of them, but I'll be in Austin in a couple of weeks and would love to look one or both of them up. So if anyone out there has a more reliable way to get in touch with them, please pass it along? Thanks!

CSI just told me that the average college student weighs 135 pounds. I think they just made that up.

Migraines suck

For those who haven't been lucky enough to experience this particular pain, let me fill you in. It isn't just a headache on crack. Migraines are caused by constricting followed by expanding of the blood vessels in the brain, so sufferers are treated to a full on neurological attack, featuring partial loss of eyesite, numbness in the extremeties, and difficulty with speech. So, if you're like me, and prone to panic attacks, even recognizing the symptoms, the reptilian part of my brain usually manages to freak out momentarily before I can form the rational thought that no, I'm not going blind, just prepping for a migraine in about two hours. All of this is particularly fun when doing 80 mph on the interstate. (speaking of which, I ventured outside the perimeter for the first time today and those are some scary ass drivers)

Anyway, there are a myriad of possible triggers, one of which is stress, which ties in with the bit of introspection I was doing yesterday. We haven't even completed one full week of classes yet, and I'm already feeling pretty overwhelmed. I started to notice it last semester too - a higher than usual anxiety level associated with run of the mill weekly homework assignments. In general, in the past, I've always been pretty good at the school thing. I don't mean this in a bragging sort of way, I'm just saying there's a reason I prefer school to work - I'm good at the weird hours and time management and homework assignments and reading and papers and notes and organizational structure of school. And I know grad school is (obviously) harder and more taxing than anything else I've done before, but still, this is not cool. And, as far as I can tell, it's all in my head. The homework assignment I was stressing out about yesterday was completed this morning, a full 24 hours before it was due, and I know the two that are due next week will likewise get done, one way or another. So is this some sort of natural evolutionary thing, so that when it comes time to enter the real world we're ready for something new, burned out on school stress and ready for some new stress? And if so, aren't I little ahead of schedule? Whatever it is, I wish it would simmer down a bit.

The evening started off normally enough... 

Typical ladies night, lounging in bed... 

And then... 

Well, I guess at some point April made a new rule in our game of asshole... 

And this was my car this morning...never fear, we certainly weren't driving anywhere. But why were we drinking in the car when I have a perfectly good apartment? I suppose it's to be expected from a night that generated "I guess I'm Dutch and you're a whore" (Anna to April) and "As much as I love you...are you naked and on top of me?" (Jessica to April). I still haven't figured out what the first one means.