April 2013

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Videos

Posted on Tuesday, 30 April 2013

I thought I'd post some updated videos of mine on here today to show you what I'd be working on.

First, my own channel, Doctor Who Style



Then my Vis 174 Channel. These are the two wacky videos she wanted us to, one narrative and one abstract. But both had to have elements of both in them. If you don't like them or don't understand them....well to be perfectly honest I would not blame you !







And below is a condensed version of the wedding I help shoot at as an intern for Balestra Entertainment.


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Internships

Posted on Saturday, 27 April 2013

Internships. Internships. Internships. Internships.

Yep. I am applying for internships. It is hard. I was going to apply for internships in America but then I realised just how difficult it would be if I got an internship in America. I would have to apply for an extended VISA (might mean I have to fly back to England), I would have to find a place to live (and if the internship was paid, I would still probably find a place I could JUST afford and would have to ask my parents for money to start renting it at the beginning of the summer), I would not be able to see my AMAZING family and friends over the summer who I have missed so much!!! Also Andy is not looking for internships in America anymore.

It is time consuming. Looking for companies you would wish to work for, trying to find it they offer work experience/internships, finding e-mails and names, writing different cover letters for every company you apply for - and thereby researching extensively every company you apply for. It is a long process. Longer than I expected. I have found a few companies who I would dream of working for and consequently have applied to each of them. However, I hate the fact I cannot address my e-mails to actual people and have to simply write Dear Sir/Madam.

It is a hard process but one I am enjoying. Through my research I have found a sort of dream company I would love to work for in the future. I am about to write my cover letter for them and hope beyond hope that they would ever accept. They do not offer work experience or internships (well they don't mention it on their website - but they don't even have job openings on their website they just ask if anyone would be interested in working for them to contact a certain e-mail address). So wish me luck I suppose (If you want).






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Classes - Final Quarter

Posted on Tuesday, 23 April 2013

So, Week 4, 2 midterms in and I still haven't told you about any of my classes. 

Well let me take this opportunity while I am sitting in one to tell you. I am sitting in a dark dark room, with only a few other people watching an abstract documentary! YEP. AN ABSTRACT documentary. Seriously? So we have to guess what we are watching? And the message. It is rather dull. Some beautiful shots. But dull. Consequently, I am chatting to Mary on FaceBook and writing this blog. 
Media Sketchbook isn't quite what I expected. Don't get me wrong, it is fun. The teacher is lovely and enthuiastic but it is a lot more….modern than I was expecting. There is a big focus on 'modern' art. So we are watching videos that are made my the dadaists of the video world. Not really my cup of tea but ahh, well. Also a three hour long lecture after another there hours of lectures before is a bit hard to deal with. I keep yawning. This documentary is rather pants though. 

There is also a lot of work! A LOT! Like next week I have two videos due, each being three minutes, each containing narrative and abstract but one containing more than the other. AHHHHH HELPPPP!!!! Ideas appreciated. 

I am only taking two other courses this term. I figured with my internship and it being the last quarter for me, that I wanted to do less. 

I am taking LTWL - Literature of the World - Adolescent Heros Through Literature with Professor Potts. If you ever get to take any class with him! DO IT! It is so much fun. His class is brilliant. It focuses on books such as the Hobbit and Harry Potter. He is so enthusiastic about his subject that his lectures are always captivating and he always makes joke. He loves participation too so read up before you go. It is so much fun :) 

Psychology of Emotion - Interesting choice for a history major right? Well it is an interesting topic. I get to learn all about facial expressions and the development of emotion and the ways in which the brain works. Which comes first the emotion or the physical symptoms of a emotion. You decide (and then let me know your opinion). It is fun but the midterm was bait awkward as it was solely based on the book which I had skim read in the library…nothing based on the lectures i had spent hours revising. Greatttttttttttttt !

SO there you go folks. My breakdown of my courses! Have fun x

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Laguna/Huntington Beach

Posted on Sunday, 21 April 2013


So the stuff of the OC? All of those famous beaches from television series based around teenage angst and romance. And I was finally there. It was beautiful. There were volleyball games going on in the sand (And I don't mean the odd game with friends, proper tournaments) and surfers left, right and centre. And I got to spend my Saturday here :)

This weekend was a bit of an odd one. On Thursday, Chris and Eileen told Andy and me that they wanted to go to Mexico. We were all going to go and spend the weekend there. However, when Friday night came and I asked Chris what the plans were (he said he was going to look into cars/hotels etc) he blinked at me like I was speaking in double dutch. Quickly his expression changed as Andy cracked up laughing and he said
"Oh! Yes sorry I'll get it sorted, I'll get it sorted!"
Andy: "What by tomorrow?"

Quickly, the lovely Victor and Jess asked if we wanted to go with them to Laguna Beach (the OC) the next day. It didn't take long for us to say yes.

We set of around 11 and headed towards LA. We stopped at a large shopping centre (oddly one Dad had taken me to when we had first arrived in San Diego) because Jess wanted to get some new shoes. As Jess and Victor (yep they are a couple) looked at shoes for Jess, Andy and I wondered around. I was search for a diet coke whilst Andy was insisting he paid for food for me because I mentioned I hadn't had breakfast. I never have breakfast so I was trying to tell him it was fine. I got a large refillable Diet Coke and we sat and chatted for awhile before Victor rang me telling us they were finished (Andy hadn't brought a phone because apparently he would only need it to communicate with me :P). Before we left to go back to the car (Victor was driving) Andy persuaded me to refill my Diet Coke. BAD IDEA. But onto that later.

The car journey was fun. I was laughing continually to the extent I was crying for most of the journey. Jess and I bonded over our love of the same music (Demi Lovato for the win) and Andy and I were joking around in the back making each other crack up laughing. Jess turned around mid trip,

"Don't you two ever stop talking?"

Andy and I looked at each other and cracked up laughing.

Andy: "Yeah of course we do! We stopped for a while during this trip!"

Jess: "If it had just been Victor and me in the car, I am pretty sure we could have not spoken for the entire journey!"

Andy: "You know My Mum said the same thing. I don't think we talk that much."

We continued to joke the entire way to Laguna beach. And that is when the diet coke hit. I needed the loo so much. Everyone thought this was hilarious. Andy began to shake my leg and they were all making me laugh so much I was crying again. Jess pointed to the Subway cup and I told me I could pee in it whilst Victor volunteered to open a window. Delightful. Real funny guys.

When we parked. I hobbled out of the car, literally bent over. Andy began following me around asking for a hug as I tried to shove him away. He pretended to get really hurt. I finally found a bathroom with an estate agent lady and she let me have it because of my accent and apparently how polite I was, "I don't usually do this but..."

When I came out to find the other three Andy wouldn't let me hug him as a joke because I didn't let him before until he gave in two minutes later. For once Andy had his camera (his parents bought it for him for his birthday last year and he hasn't used it once) and he was taking snap after snap. It was like having my friend Susie De Lacy there.

We walked along the pier to Ruby's (the same brand of diner that Andy and I visited with his parents) and got lunch. Unfortunately, the waiter mixed Jess and Andy's burgers up. And hilariously neither noticed until they had finished and Jess checked the menu as her burger tasted odd and Andy's burger tasted 'boring'. We then both shared milkshakes as couples (once again Andy and i took forever to decide which made Jess and Victor laugh a lot).

When the bill came Andy insisted on paying despite my protests and Jess told me "Hey Lissy, I don't even argue, just let him, it is what the man is meant to do." This didn't really make me feel much better but at least Victor was also paying for Jess so I felt a tad less guilty.

Next we drove to a private part of Laguna beach. It was beautiful. These children were playing with a really cool flying game which I tried to film. It was this small plane which they would wind up, blast up into the sky and then it would fall very slowly so the children could run and catch it. It managed to get up so high and fall without hurting anyone because a parachute would suddenly explode out of the back out of it. It was really cool. I kept trying to filming it. Andy teased me about filming children. Hahaha :P.

Then we went and paddled in the sea. It was really fun. Victor and Jess were joking with one another on the sand whilst Andy and I were running around in the waves. The Pacific Ocean was FREEZING. We then played around pushing each other down in the sand. A school of dolphins then appeared in the sea. By a school I mean two. They were so close. It was the first time I got to see wild dolphins - after such a long time! People told me I would see them regularly. First time seeing them!

We drove back, briefly stopping at a shopping centre built like a Spanish castle. It was beautiful. But none of us were hungry so we got in the car and drove back. Andy fell asleep on my shoulder in the car home and it was just a lovely night. Really picturesque. We got home and both pairs went our separate ways. I went with Andy to watch Doctor Who and make another ice cream parfait. It was really yummy and Doctor Who was so good.


I love San Diego :D

















Mucking around in the waves :D x

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A Museum and A Trip to the New OVTs

Posted on Wednesday, 17 April 2013

I realised I hadn't told you all about my amusing museum trip with Andy and Betty.
Betty and I had to go to the Contemporary Museum of Modern Art in San Diego, Downtown for our VIS 174 class. We had to go and see an exhibition featuring the art of Scotti Acosta.

So Betty and I headed off, looking for the bus stop to catch one downtown. We bumped into Andy on our way to the bus stop. In my defence, Betty invited him to come along. I thought he would be busy so hadn't told him about our museum trip and I also didn't want Betty to think I didn't want to hang out with her! It turned out to be a really amusing trip! The moment Betty asked Andy and I grinned and looped my arm around his, Betty rolled her eyes and went "oh great. Third wheeled myself. I am not being the third wheel here."

It was a really amusing trip. We went downtown giggling and laughing. Betty continued to make fun of us. But it was nice because I knew she wasn't really annoyed but Andy and her were doing their usual banter.

We went and grabbed some lunch when we went Downtown. It was rather funny as because we had grabbed Andy on his way back to his apartment he hadn't come out in enough clothes so he kept shivering and swearing when a gust of wind came trying to run us over. Poor thing was in just a t-shirt. Betty proceeded to tell Andy about the 'Last Time' Video at lunch...about the fact I iked the video despite the fact I died because it had looked like Andy and I had been together...then she reminded him this was before Christmas. Apparently I should expect more of these embarrassing memory stories now we are dating. Yeah. Thanks Betty.

The museum was odd. The exhibition was experimental for experimental sake. Like the Dadaists. I didn't enjoy it. I enjoyed who I got to see it with. Both Betty and Andy were hilarious. They kept me laughing the entire time. Betty took photos of us (don't know where they are) and kept rolling her eyes at us and making jokes. It was really funny (she did tell me later on a TurboKick that she had been joking and didn't really feel left out or anything - pheewwwww). We saw some more of the exhibition (part of which Betty even picked up and moved around before realising she was being filmed by cameras). It was just a really fun day out.

Later in the evening, I also had a really fun time with Betty when we went to Zumba...which turned out not to be Zumba. The trainer who came in was different to our usual one. She had blonde hair and very not Latina. Weirdest start to a Zumba lesson ever "HEY GUYS! TWO THINGS! I AM NOT KARRIE!!!! SECOND THING THIS IS NOT ZUMBA! THIS IS TURBOKICK!". She was covering for Karrie by changing the lesson! It was hilarious! She was the stereotypical Californian gym trainer. Really hyper and energetic and didn't seem to get tired out from any of the exercise. I am doing TurboKick from now on!

Anyway, back to this week.
I went to OVT today with Andy. It is not all you can eat anymore. Sadly. Andy insisted that we treat like all you can eat though. He insisted on paying again, as per usual. I was trying to insist we weren't going to treat it as an all you can eat but he was  grabbing plates left, right and centre and trying tp persuade me to. I didn't. Needless to say. I took two. Yoghurt and a slice of Pizza :) I felt way too guilty even then. The cashier even laughed at us when we were paying. Sigh. But it was a lovely night and it was nice seeing him as we are both working pretty hard this week and don't have so much time.


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A Wedding and a Parfait :D

Posted on Monday, 15 April 2013

This weekend was very different.

I went to a wedding :D. Yes to a wedding where I did not know the Bride or the Groom! Sound odd? Well I was working for Balestra Entertainment and they had been hired to be the videographers for the wedding of Melissa Hill and Ryan Webber. It was so much fun.

As I was a girl, I got to go with Linda to the hotel before the wedding, to film the Bride and the Bridesmaids getting ready (trust me, it was so confusing having the bride be called Melissa and the wedding planner!) I was first given the GoPro so I got some nice wide shots of the rooms. The bride was beautiful and very lovely. The bridesmaids equally beautiful and lovely. Everyone was so happy, sipping champagne, with lots of breakfast food spread over the table and everyone getting their hair done. It was a shame it seemed to be the one non sunny day in San Diego recently but the bride was still very excited. It was really lovely being part of their day even if you were trying as hard as possible to stay out of the way whilst filming up and close in people's faces.

The wedding was at La Jolla Shores. It was really cold outside, with a chilly sea wind...and of course, the wedding was outside. To be honest, of all places, La Jolla would have been a place I would have bet one could have a wedding outside as it is guaranteed to be sunny, and in April, quite warm. No. It was cold. I felt sorry for the bridesmaids and bride who had bare shoulders! First, before the guests arrive, they had the 'seeing of Bride' ceremony, which I have never heard of. I thought the Groom saw the Bride for the first time when she came down the aisle? But apparently not in California. The Bride walked up to the Groom and tapped him on the shoulder in this large patio outside, and he turned around and of course everyone welled up and there was a lovely hugging/kissing moment....which Balestra Entertainment proceeded to film in the sneakiest of fashions.

We then went inside and proceeded to film guests arriving and things being set up.

I wasn't actually meant to be filming the wedding because I was meant to swap with two other interns arriving later but alas, they needed the extra help. Camera batteries were dying, Linda hadn't eaten so she was shaking and couldn't hold a camera steady and everything seemed to be getting chaotic. So Joseph and I stayed to help for an extra hour. It meant we got to see the ceremony. The priest was very jolly and funny, making the marriage jokes and thereby becoming the kind of priest that Peter Kay and Michael McIntyre take the mic out of. The Groom was welling up, which was so adorable. I could see quite a lot of people occasionally leave their seat to move closer to a patio heater...I so wasn't filming from under one for the heat reason....

Then the wedding ended and Joseph and I left. He drove me back to UCSD - very nice of him however, I did not enjoy the car journey as he was on his phone and driving simply by using the pedals. The steering wheel was ignored until he had to move away from the cars coming in the opposite direction. It was a tad terrifying.

When I got back I quickly showered before going to see Andy. First we made a den on the floor and chatted for ages before his apartment mates all came in and very kindly gave us free cupcakes :D. Yummmmmmm. Then we went with Cesar, Victor and Pierre to Ralphs. They made a hilarious game out of how often I would say sorry if they blamed me for random things! Great!

They dropped us off at Five Guys to get dinner. I had never been and Andy insisted I go. It was really yummy and I loved my burger - it was a proper burger too, they make it for you there and then, but I was highly embarrassed when my card got declined so I couldn't pay for us (Andy had insisted on buying 30 dollars worth of stuff for our parfait creations we were going to make later in the evening so I wanted to pay for dinner). I got an e-mail today...yeah, my card got declined for 'unusual activity'...specifically the burger joint. The e-mail literally states that it is unlike me to go in a burger place! Hhahahahahaah even my card company knows that I usually try to eat healthily! It made me laugh a lot! However, yesterday I was just embarrassed!

We then got picked up and the guys went to a milkshake place. They all got milkshakes and Pierre joked he was getting jealous Andy was holding my hand so he held Andy's other hand. Cesar proceeded to pose on the car bonnet with his milkshake when Victor wanted to drive. It was all rather funny and I couldn't stop giggling.....or saying sorry. We went back to Andy's and we both made Parfait with all the lovely ingredients Andy had bought. It was a great weekend :D







When Pierre got Jealous ^



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Magical Weekend

Posted on Tuesday, 9 April 2013

I spent the weekend with Andy and his parents at Oceanside :) It was brilliant. They had an apartment called the 'Blue Whale House' which was by the beach. The first night, we went out for dinner and finally found a small pizza place. It was rather funny. When we passed the shop, it was completely empty and the guy inside watched us, in a desperate kind of way, and clearly was really wanting us to come in. He sat up when we paused outside the shop like a meerkat. We decided to go in just to make his day and he very nicely advised not to get two pizzas but one big one because it would definitely be enough! Lovely chap for a business that clearly wasn't that successful. I managed to not draw attention to my messy eating (Andy noticed) and with my knife and fork manage to cut through my paper plate (clearly a bit violent). 


We walked back to the apartment and had drinks in the living room, chatting and laughing. It was really fun and the initial nervousness I had of meeting Andy's parents faded pretty quickly. Andy told his story about travelling from San Francisco to San Diego the previous weekend and how the bus driver seemed to continually yell at random people "GET OF BUS NOW!" It became an ongoing joke for the weekend like "GET OUT BED NOW!". 

The next day we went to the Museum of the History of Music where we played with the instruments and had a really good and interesting time. Andy was very tempted to get a Mandolin but decided it wasn't really the type of thing he liked to play. His ukulele got restrung though and consequently, he was playing that throughout the car journeys between places. We went to a mission next, it was beautiful and it was interesting walking around it. There were sprinklings outside and and Andy grabbed me and started pushing me towards them. I was so scared I was going to get soaked. I couldn't stop laughing though. Then we drove back to the apartment and had a barbecue on the beach. It was so much fun. Andy's dad, David, had been mentioning a barbecue all day so Lynne, Andy's Mum, and I pretended it was spontaneous idea of ours to have a barbecue. It was so lovely. The sun was setting and it was Andy's parents anniversary so it was a really special occasion. I finally got up the courage to hadn over the wine I had brought them in my bag (I was scared they might not like it) and so we opened it up and celebrated. Andy was in his penguin onesie as it was pretty cold. His parents cottoned on pretty soon to the fact I say 'sorry' all the time so they were teasing me continually and then they made me make a decision to walk to the end of the pier or not. I finally said that we should after all the Haslams were staring at me and then they pretended like I had made the worst decision ever. I couldn't stop laughing. "Well if we have to. Lissy you are so demanding, first the barbecue and now this walk."

We walked to end of the pier - Andy still an penguined up - and we had milkshakes at a proper 60s diner. It was so old fashioned it was great! We walked back (with Andy;s parents taking continual pictures of us from behind) and it was really lovely. Andy and I then decided to go and play ukulele on the beach. It was really quiet and the sea sounded so nice so that was a lot of fun. 

The next day, sadly my last day with the Haslams, we went to a reinactment of a battle which took place in San Diego. It was really fun. We saw a cannon being lit, heard lots about the history of the place, saw snakes slithering across our path, and tried new foods. There was this classic drink that Andy;s parents bought for Andy and I to share but to me it tasted kind of like cough medicine. Andy was loving the fact he knew I didn't like it but wouldn't say that directly "Go on, have a bit more". It made him laugh a lot. We then went to La Jolla Coves to see the seals and have a very late dinner which was really yummy. 

It was a lovely weekend and I really enjoyed it. I am a very happy bee :D 










 

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Just a quick note.....

Posted on Monday, 8 April 2013

Just a quick note to say

Thank you to my parents for coming out to see me. 
I really enjoyed it. 
They were funny and it was lovely to hang out with them. 
I may not have mentioned them directly last blog as much as I should have, but I did mention all the amazing stuff we did in Vegas and behind all of that was the underlining thank you that was owed to them. 
I did really enjoy the fact they were there. I showed them around La Jolla and we ate at a really nice place by the beach. I got to say at the Sheraton for a night which was really luxurious. I loved how soft the beds were! And when we went to Vegas they spoiled Cathi and I a lot and I feel somewhat weirdly proud and happy when they spoil my friends. 
At TGI's they spoiled all my friends too and all my friends said they liked them (many of them mentioned how laid back my Dad was and how funny that was - not too sure why but :D glad they liked him. Bobby wanted to be his friend as he does Maths and loves Star Trek and comic books!) And Mum, before you get upset, they liked you too. Especially as you already knew so much about them and were insistent they have as much as they wanted. 
I also really liked that my parents took lots of pictures of Andy and I once we got shamooed :P most appreciated :P

Anyway, because I feel my parents may have felt hard done by last blog, this is my blog for them :D see you in 9 weeks guys...
x






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Long Time No Speak

Posted on Friday, 5 April 2013

Why, hello there strangers.

I am so sorry. Spring break hit. Parents arrived. The amazing Catherine Collier appeared in Las vegas airport and my blogging duties went right out of the window.

To sum it up...I HAVE HAD A BRILLIANT TWO WEEKS!

And I am dreadfully sorry I cannot break them down into tiny segments and give you all of the details.

My parents arrived last Tuesday. I went to surprise them at the airport and did so rather unsuccessfully. I managed to loose my Mum in a toilet that was being closed down for the night and my Dad was aimlessly looking at the ceiling when I stood by their trolley. Ah well. It was the thought that counts right? I got to stay a wonderful night in the Sheraton before showing my Mum and Dad La Jolla, the next day. They both loved it. We went to the seals by the cove and one of them was in a really interesting position. I claimed it to be sleeping funnily and took a picture. Little did I know...everyone else believed it to be dead. Sigh. So I uploaded a dead looking seal onto my facebook....realllllyyyy classy. Well done, Lissy.

We travelled to Vegas the following day. It was so much fun. We watched Cathi's plane land and rushed to go and meet her. Unfortunately, two hours later, we realised her suitcase had gone on a wonder. All by itself. Oh dear. Poor Cathi. All her clothes had gone! Luckily she had money on her but when my parents then insisted on going straight out to dinner, I felt her pain as she followed us in her 30 hour old clothing. She still looked great, I felt. And my mother commented on how she still looked more presentable than I so you know, hey ho :D. The next day we went shopping for new clothes. Unfortunately, everything in Vegas is studded in fake diamonds, with LAS VEGAS stamped all across them or designer....and therefore meant for those who have actually won a HUGE amount of money in the casinos. Cathi managed to find something she could just about push herself to wear. A mans shirt and diamond shorts. I think she is going to burn the shorts the moment she gets home. Or maybe she will keep them for memory sake.

We went to see the Blue Man Group on Friday. It was a spectacular show unlike anything I have experienced. The Blue Men did really cool tricks involving swallowing marshmallows and art and music. It was really cool and very funny. At one point, it was announced that people were allowed to take photos. I did not hear this. So when my Dad picked up his camera, I died with embarrassment. All I could think was "I have taken him out to theatres all the time, what the hell does he think he is doing? He is acting like a newbie!" I literally cringed into my seat, covering my eyes and turning red, waiting for Dad to put down his camera and throwing him dirty looks. Yeah, I looked like an idiot when the end of the show came about.
The next day we went to the Red Canyon, it was really beautiful. Very epic. Very movie set ish. I would recommend it for those in Vegas who want experience a part of the GRand Canyon but don't want to drive that far. It was lovely. And it only took us about two hours to drive around it, get out take pictures etc. We went to the Pen and Teller show that evening. It was a brilliant magician show. We magically got there with a drunk taxi driver (so scary but hilarious at the same time, hanging on to the sides and desperate to be let out). Pen and Teller did some amazing stunts. Like really clever tricks. I would recommend anyone to go!!!


AND THEN SAN DIEGO!!!!
We hit UCSD and since then Cathi has been making great friends with my friends, meeting everyone, seeing the campus, seeing the beachm eating good food :D Perfect.

The first evening, Cathi met Andy. Which was lovely. They got on well and Cathi also got to meet the legendary Arunav. I was so happy. Andy had got a 6.30am bus on the SUnday so he could be there and go to Seaworld the next day with us. His parents were still in San Fran!!! That evening, my parents took all of my UCSD friends out to dinner at TGIs. They were very embarrassing and tried to force feed Bobby (who wasn't complaining). But it was nice to let them all meet one another, especially as my parents have heard so much about them.

We went to SeaWorld on the Monday. It was amazing. Andy and I got properly 'shamued' (we sat in the second row at the Shamu show and got very very very wet!!!) I was so grateful Andy came with me and when we sat there, for a while we thought it wasn't that bad and we were safe....until the whale aimed right at us with it's tail. Cold....so cold. And apparently lots of chaffing according to Andy ! I just seemed to drip everywhere. It was fun seeing all the shows and the exhibitions. Cesar had told Andy to look out for the ducks at the Pet show...yeah they were on for two seconds. Really underwhelming! It was such a fun day and I loved introduced my home world to my UCSD world. It was crazy :D

And the week. Yeah it is has been amazing. My new courses are fun and having Cathi here has been brilliant. She is such a gem. We have been partying, drinking, pampering and walking. I just love her to pieces and am so glad she came :D

Lets hope this brilliant start to the quarter means more brilliance is going to follow.