Hi again-it's been quite a while!

Hey Everyone,
I'm sure by now you all know I am back safe and sound from Korea. Sometimes I wish I were back there. (sigh). In any case, I returned to a very clean place, I was shocked. Juicebox, it seems, has decided he would like to be Susie (or the male version of Susie) homemaker. However, as you all know he has a fear of the microwave..and now the oven so he doesn't really cook but he makes a wonderful salad, even if it is all peaches with a peach smoothie for dressing (don't knock it till you try it).
He's so darling with his little dustbuster. He wanted to use the vaccuum...but then I informed him of the so-called accident with Snowball. You won't believe it but one day while I was school, Juicebox took the vaccuum out of the closet (he has been working out). Snowball was playing very nicely with my bell in the living room. Juicebox claims he was just cleaning, but when I returned home there were little white dustballs and the vaccuum bag was really white. Juicebox denies that he pretty much killed Snowball, but the cat has been gone for three weeks, ever since the incident. He still tells me Snowball went on a walk and never came back-a likely story.
Well that's all on the Santa Barbara front. I've started a class where we are taking pictures of small products. Juicebox wants to come in the studio with me but unfortunately Koalas are not allowed in there. Yet they do allow dogs and cats so maybe I can put Juicebox in a disguise. Hope everyone is doing well. I have to go, mind is slowly losing thoughts. I must catch them because they are so few. Adios, Sayonara, and Arrividerci!

Hey there everyone!

Hi again all you bloggers! How is life treating you? I hope you put on your smile today or at least wore a t-shirt with a smile (I actually don't have one so I am constantly smiling aside from when I sleep or am meditative).
Well my trip to South Korea is still teaming with excitement. Everyday, adventure is lurking (or maybe it's springing) around the corner. And I accept it's challenge head on. Now I know what you are thinking-no I have not jumped off any cliffs or gone skinnydipping. I haven't done anything nude aside from showering. No my adventures are more centered on exploring this great city everyone likes to call Seoul. I would tell you all of my adventures but then you might be at the computer for hours and then you would really have no life or you would need to go to the bathroom or you would need to eat and I don't want to keep you from that at all.
So I'll just tell you of my mini-adventure today. I went on my favorite subway line-the Green one to City Hall...and got married. It was a very quiet ceremony. Abby took the day off and served as the witness. Just Kidding!!!!!
I really did get off at the City Hall station where I took a nice walk to the Art Museum. On the lower level were Korean artists displaying monsters as humans-it was very interesting. In addition, there were english explanations of the paintings-thank goodness! On the second and third floor was their premier exhibition-Renoir. I've always been a fan of his nudes because they aren't the skinny minnies you see in today's culture. Every time I look at his nude paintings (this makes me sound like a pervert), I always think this gal finally ate something. There were over one hundred paintings in the museum of his, most of them weren't nude but that didn't make them any less interesting. However the explanations were in Korean (I know shocker)...and French. So I stared at the little white plaques for pretty much twenty minutes trying to figure out what the heck this dancing picture could mean.
After this, I went to the largest outdoor souvenior place in Seoul that I've been to and went crazy with gifts for the family. I think my Grandmother with love her gift-she uses them everyday. I wanted to buy something for everyone but one tiny drop fell on the ground and suddenly the street was in an uproar. The shops all closed up and people were running frantically to the subway station. I will probably go back because I still have to find something for a teenage boy, my father, and my grandfather. Although I might get something for Gramps at the Korean War memorial tomorrow.
So after this, I figured there's really no point in my staying here unless I'd like to recreate Gene Kelly's "Singing in the Rain." I decided might as well go on the subway back to Abby's and write this fabulous blog. Big Mistake! Every Korean in downtown Seould must've been in that subway stop and every Korean seemed to be going towards Incheon-oh joy! Now since I was feeling adventurous, I figured I'd join the mass of Koreans plow into the subway. Well, my body was pressed against the glass door (I got up close and personal with my Nikon) and I suddenly knew what Korean BO smelled like. Luckily about 1/4 of them got off at the next stop so then I could breathe. I was never so happy though when they called Sungnae (Abby's stop). I belted out of there. But on the bright side, I now know how many Koreans it takes to fill up a subway!
Hope everyone is peachy! I'll try to keep you posted on my life. I haven't heard from Juicebox yet so I hope he's okay.

Hello From Korea

Hi Everyone!
It's been such a long time since I've blogged that I'm sure everyone was in tears! Don't worry I'm okay. Actually I'm better than okay! I'm in Korea if you can believe it! Don't worry, Juicebox did not kick me out of my own apartment, although I did leave him in charge so I'm a tad worried. In any case, I'm typing to you now from Bucheon, South Korea (don't worry I don't plan on crossing the border-lol-that could be applied in America too). I arrived pretty late on Sunday night. Since then I've become quite familiar with the subway system-been riding and rolling. I've also become quite familiar with Seoul (the capital). Abby lives about an hour (not even) from the center. So I've been going on excursions there nearly everyday. Let me tell you it is such a great city. It has these fourteenth century palaces mixed with huge skyscrapers!
Aside from that, I visited a Buddhist Palace today. I actually got a private tour. I went into the tourism office (if you can call it that, it was tiny) requesting a brochure. This old cheerful woman that looked like a Korean troll asked where I was from and I said California. Then she kept saying orange and Hollywood. I nodded and a young woman came out from behind me (Koreans are very very quiet) and offered to give me a tour free of charge. The old woman came with us and the two of them explained the temple and all the practices. Afterwards she said I could walk around because that's what foreigners like to do (she had many odd stereotypes about foreigners) but don't disturb the Buddhists because they cannot be distracted. I really wanted to take pictures of the prayer and the four huge drums but I figured this would be disrupting their sacred space so I kept my Nikon in the backpack. As I left, the old tour guide (her name was Mi-Sa although she couldn't pronounce my name) asked if I was travelling alone. I then explained to her that Abby, my friend, is teaching in Bucheon. I really wanted to walk around Seoul some more and find some Buddhist souveniours (the hats are darling), but she took my hand and led me to the subway station. Of course as I thanked her in Korean (or my version of it-she kind of gave me this very odd look of why the heck does this foreigner even try) and she responded by showing me a picture of her son. That's another big thing in Korea I've discovered-random parents trying to set you up with their sons. (Somehow the language barrier would be a problem). I shook my head, thanked her (in English, she seemed to respond better to this), then headed on my way to the Station and back to Bucheon.
Oh and on a sidenote to any bookworms-English books are 20 bucks here in most bookstores because they are imported so I was shocked today to find "Little Women" for four dollars. Now I have to read it! Goodbye everyone and hope everyone is having a great summer!

Another very random blog!

Hi all you bloggers out there in far off lands! How are you all? I'm sure everyone is doing something incredibly exciting. What is Juicebox doing you may ask? Well he's sleeping. He went to this very hip disco bar on State Street last night. He was hopping away and bounding about till five in the morning-I was beginning to get worried. Oh and I forgot to tell you-Tripp and him broke up! I know I was sad too. Tripp has to go back to his native country Bulgaria because his brother got in a very awul taffy incident (don't ask). Juicebox wanted to go with him for support but Tripp said he couldn't ask Juicebox to go to a country without a beach and they parted ways. He was crying for weeks eating Mac and Cheese. One day he actually wanted to go into the microwave. That's when I told him he had to leave the apartment. Initially he just would go out for five minutes around the neighborhood. And then a homeless person gave him a harmonica and he began to play that endlessly at the "Ralph's" store. (He had a sign that said "Please give me peaches to make peach iced tea but he never got any). And finally yesterday he went to a nightclub and danced the night away. I think he's happy although he is in dreamland so he could be having some strange dream about Tripp.
Other than that my people photography class is interesting. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it yet. I like the projects we get to do but the teacher reminds me of Morley (she's even a folk singer who is anti-creationism). Actually this week I will be photographing a violinist and a harpist in the studio so I'm pretty excited for that-I just hope the images are in focus.
And I don't know if any of you want to know what's on my bookshelf, but I'm reading three right now to keep my mind extra busy. My favorite one is "Dead until dark." My friend recommended it to me because my guilty pleasure is the "True Blood" Series which is based on the books. So far I must give props to HBO (everything is somewhat accurate) but I'm only on Chapter two. The second book is because for some very odd reason I miss Monterey (I must be a massichist) so I thought I would give Steinbeck another try through reading "East of Eden." It's good so far but some of the things he says are really outlandish (hey that's what makes great literature!) And finally I am reading "Korea" because get this I am going there in less than a month! I'm trying to talk Juicebox into going with me but he's not a fan of dogs (sorry Abby) due to a terrible incident with a chihuahua.
I suppose another common theme in these blogs are movie reviews so here are two that I have recently seen and were impressed with. "Star Trek" was a great typical summer movie. I finally know who Scotty is! And now the saying "Live long and prosper makes sense." Although I sat in front of two Trekkies that hated the movie due to inaccuracies (Get a life guys!) The second movie I saw was "Angels and Demons." Even though they skipped half the book it was much better than the "Da Vinci code" although brace yourself for Tom Hanks in a Speedo (it still gives me chills). Of course it wasn't nearly as good as the amazing book but I still really liked it. I think I'm finally learning to look at movies and tv series independent of the books.
Alrighty-roo-that is everything! I know this was an incredibly long blog and if you've made it this far-congratulations you've completed your reading for the day. Well, I'm off. I still have to prepare for summer trip to Korea! Adios bloggers!

Santa Barbara's burning up!

Hey everyone!
How is everyone out there in those fun faroff places? Well I'm hot hot hot here in Santa Barbara. I'm not talking about this in the ego sense but the temperature sense. The hills of Santa Barbara are on fire-can you believe that? And I know what you are thinking-no I did not start it...I think. Juicebox certainly did not, although he is out now to check out the firefighters. I would've gone with him, but that might look a bit strange. He also thought I would not make a good wingman (or wingwoman if you are a feminist), can you imagine that? I did help him make peach smoothies to give to them, but I told him they'd melt by the time he got there. Darn that Juicebox, he didn't listen and came home in tears (and tons of sweat). The peach smoothies apparently became peach tea and nobody would even try it. It's alright though, I told him we could send the peach tea to Alaska where it's cold. He jumped up for joy. Although now I wonder if you could send liquids by mail.
So all you blog readers don't come to Santa Barbara now, the stop lights are not working at all. If you walk down State Street, you'll be inhaling ash. And I was thinking about it and maybe I could tell people that I tried smoking-jk. And not to mention you'll be drenched in head to toe with sweat-I know what a wonderful picture! Well I'm off to watch the mansions go up in flames!

Hi again everyone!

Hey,
I haven't blogged in so many weeks, maybe even months that I thought I'd drop you a line. Well, another class has come and gone-phew. So now I know quite a bit about flashing people-photographically speaking. Tomorrow I have my accounting final and what have I learned about accounting-absolutely nothing. And you know what? I have to give a presentation in it tomorrow so hopefully I can just pretend like I know what I'm talking about-huh that reminds me of capstone.
I had an interesting conversation with a girl in my accounting class yesterday (I can't even remember how to spell her name). Actually she's my partner, not in that way because I don't swing that way, but my partner for the presentation. She was telling me all about how her friend goes to the University of Texas and is majoring in Archaeology, yada yada yada (I kinda zoned out). Then I told her about my degree and she became fascinated. Anyway I was telling her how I kinda miss Archaeology and digging in the dirt. She asked me if I'd go back to it if I didn't change my mind and go into photography. Then she told me she considered going into the Culinary Arts (I've tasted her cooking and it's a good thing she's in photography). Obviously I told her I didn't regret it but then she kept talking to me about the Masters program, so I'm back to considering getting a Masters, but I don't know how much longer that'll take. Yes I do realize that was an Esther story, but you know you've missed them.
Well, Juicebox says hello. The weather here has been a bit hot....okay alot hot. I cannot stand it, let's just say some of my other personalities have come out today. Juicebox on the other hand has gone everyday to the beach. He's really tan now-it's incredible. Well I should go. I don't know if any of this blog makes sense-I'm still working on zero energy, but hey. That's what school's all about!

Can everyone believe it's the end of March?

Hey Everyone,
How is everyone out there? I can see all your smiling faces in my mind as we speak! Some of you really need to brush! In case you are all wondering I am doing much better (if you can't tell from my exhuberant blog). I just had one of my wonderful freak-outs (part of the Festher personality).
Well Santa Barbara is very blue today...I mean the sky. It's so blue and so hot, not the best thing for a New England gal! Yet I am dealing with it, my skin not so much. I look like a pomegranate, but a happy one-I do have lots of seeds in me too.
Juicebox is loving the weather. He goes to the beach daily. This is problematic though because he steals my photographic reflectors for tanning. Sure he's not so white as before but do you know how hard it is to explain the need for a correct exposure to a koala? Although he does understand f-stops.
Well, I went to Ventura with him the other day and he almost went swimming...then I reminded him he can't swim so he drowned-but just for a second. You see, a giraffe was also in Ventura at the time. Her name's Molly. She just stuck her head in the water and saved him. Now Juicebox and I are thinking of a reward for her. Of course Juicebox wants to send her Peach smoothies but you can't send that through the mail...well you could but it becomes peach tea. Well I have to go!
Have a great week! Easter's around the corner-can you see the bunnies?