The Moaning Myrtles
Draco and the Malfoys
Harry and the Potters
The Parselmouths
The Whomping Willows
Hermione Crookshanks Experience
The Remus Lupins
man... and a year ago i'd only ever heard of harry and the potters. now there's plenty of wizard rock to go around. so far i've listened to harry, draco, and remus. my rating: 1 = remus 2 = draco 3 = harry. is it sad that i actually want to buy these cds??
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Thursday, June 7, 2007
I think I might give myself an ulcer...
The worst thing about coming back from vacation... REALITY.
Why is it that there is always a heap of terrible, complicated, icky stuff waiting for you when you get home? I come home from Italy and get my wisdom teeth out two days later. If that's not bad enough, I find out that maybe my fun summer plans aren't going to work out so well after all. I had planned to fly to India on the 30th of June for an awesome internship with Infosys that would last until the 25th of August. Then, on the 31st of August, I would head to Paris. Dream on...
First, I need a Student Visa for France, which doesn't sound so bad, especially since I am a U.S. citizen. I mean, sure, Americans and French make fun of each other all the time, but we're friends, right?? Think American Revolution, Statue of Liberty, WWI/WWII... ?? But nooo, apparently when it comes to immigration France has no friends, and everyone outside the EU is a potential threat. First, I had to register online with CampusFrance, then send the application materials to the French Embassy in D.C. Then wait until CampusFrance processes my application. Only then can I actually begin to apply for the Visa at the consulate. And for that, I have to do a face-to-face interview, probably in French, which wouldn't be a problem if I wasn't so stressed out about everything and didn't have to leave for India at the end of the month (which, obviously, I would need a passport for). It's kind of ridiculous that getting a Work Visa to India is a one-day thing while getting a Student Visa to France is like being sucked into a black hole, with no chance of escape.
And on top of that, my school is being less than helpful. I sent them an e-mail just to keep them updated on my situation, and their reply was, more or less, "Don't even think about coming to France later because of a delayed Visa. That's unacceptable." What's more, I've just learned from another friend that the $60 application fee is actually $120! Our school told us $60, so I sent $60.
Oh, and one more thing: assuming I actually get to Paris by some miracle or another, once there I will have to present an original copy [note: wtf is an "original copy"? isn't that an oxymoron??] of my birth certificate, despite the fact that China doesn't really issue birth certificates. Otherwise I get deported! great...
I should have just stayed in Italy.
Why is it that there is always a heap of terrible, complicated, icky stuff waiting for you when you get home? I come home from Italy and get my wisdom teeth out two days later. If that's not bad enough, I find out that maybe my fun summer plans aren't going to work out so well after all. I had planned to fly to India on the 30th of June for an awesome internship with Infosys that would last until the 25th of August. Then, on the 31st of August, I would head to Paris. Dream on...
First, I need a Student Visa for France, which doesn't sound so bad, especially since I am a U.S. citizen. I mean, sure, Americans and French make fun of each other all the time, but we're friends, right?? Think American Revolution, Statue of Liberty, WWI/WWII... ?? But nooo, apparently when it comes to immigration France has no friends, and everyone outside the EU is a potential threat. First, I had to register online with CampusFrance, then send the application materials to the French Embassy in D.C. Then wait until CampusFrance processes my application. Only then can I actually begin to apply for the Visa at the consulate. And for that, I have to do a face-to-face interview, probably in French, which wouldn't be a problem if I wasn't so stressed out about everything and didn't have to leave for India at the end of the month (which, obviously, I would need a passport for). It's kind of ridiculous that getting a Work Visa to India is a one-day thing while getting a Student Visa to France is like being sucked into a black hole, with no chance of escape.
And on top of that, my school is being less than helpful. I sent them an e-mail just to keep them updated on my situation, and their reply was, more or less, "Don't even think about coming to France later because of a delayed Visa. That's unacceptable." What's more, I've just learned from another friend that the $60 application fee is actually $120! Our school told us $60, so I sent $60.
Oh, and one more thing: assuming I actually get to Paris by some miracle or another, once there I will have to present an original copy [note: wtf is an "original copy"? isn't that an oxymoron??] of my birth certificate, despite the fact that China doesn't really issue birth certificates. Otherwise I get deported! great...
I should have just stayed in Italy.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
It takes me a while to get over things.
Apparently, on average it takes a women 24 hours to get over being angry. It takes men 1 hr.
I think it takes me 24 DAYS ... or more ... unless I resolve the conflict ASAP. I
that's why I can't stand friends being mad at me, or even getting mad at them. I try to do everything to make others happy, even if it means sacrificing some of my own happiness.
Should I change that?
Apparently, on average it takes a women 24 hours to get over being angry. It takes men 1 hr.
I think it takes me 24 DAYS ... or more ... unless I resolve the conflict ASAP. I
that's why I can't stand friends being mad at me, or even getting mad at them. I try to do everything to make others happy, even if it means sacrificing some of my own happiness.
Should I change that?
Morgan Stanley
Coming back from the Morgan Stanley Undergraduate Women's Day Conference (what a long name!), I feel a little overwhelmed by this weekend thus far. Lessons Learned (in no particular order):
1) Public transportation in the U.S. = TERRIBLE. Bus schedules are confusing, trains run late, train engines BREAK DOWN
2) Time = VALUABLE.
3) Working at Morgan Stanley would = v. cool. If only I could get that internship...
4) NYC = wow. Why didn't I want to go to school in a big city again? Must remind myself of that list ASAP.
5) Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, things don't work out the way you planned (see #1). It's just fate, I guess.
6) Dealing with many things all at once = hard. Not crying when things go wrong = nearly impossible. Sometimes it's okay to complain/fret. Prioritizing doesn't always make everyone happy. But that's life, so get over it and move on.
7) "every cloud has a silver lining" and things could always be worse. no matter what people think.
8) Meeting new people (even under strange circumstances, i.e. train engine failure) = fun. Getting off campus = invaluable. If I weren't going abroad next year I think I'd leave anyways. Grâce à dieu que je peux passer un séjour à Paris!
~~~
The Morgan Stanley conference itself was amazing, though, and COMPLETELY worth the effort. It's definitely true that prioritizing is hard, but I'm glad I made this decision instead of *******. I could really see myself working there, maybe not necessarily the crazy ibanking stuff, but then again, why not? I'm up for the challenge, I can work late nights and function on little/no sleep. It's called taking 5 classes at Smith College. But even if I don't go down that path, there are other things at Morgan Stanley I could do, other divisions where I could work.It's a good feeling to know now (and finally) what I want. Now it's just a matter of going for it and getting it. And suddenly I feel like I'm the Will Smith character from The Pursuit of Happyness.
It would be nice if my life were like his :-)
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Partnerships
It's weird how we often remember only one person out of a partnership. Why is it that one person can get everlasting fame/notoriety and the other just sinks into oblivion?
Case in point:
Marx and Engels. We don't call it Engelism, do we?
Darwin and Wallace. Again... it's Darwinism.
Well, Marxism and Darwinism sound a lot better, there's not doubt about that. But still, don't you feel bad for those partners who will never go down in history, who will only be studied by scholars/students of the field but will never be truly recognized by the general public? I mean, I could ask my mom, who knows almost nothing about politics/philosophy about communism and she would say "Marx" off the top of her head. And I could ask an art major about evolution and he would say "Darwin." It's just a little unfair, n'est-ce que pas?
Edit: one partnership which I think has gotten equal recognition is Watson and Crick (DNA double-helix, won the Noble Prize, etc.). But do people really know who they are? (beyond Bio majors and scientists and all that). I mean... I don't know. But at least they're equally semi-famous.
Case in point:
Marx and Engels. We don't call it Engelism, do we?
Darwin and Wallace. Again... it's Darwinism.
Well, Marxism and Darwinism sound a lot better, there's not doubt about that. But still, don't you feel bad for those partners who will never go down in history, who will only be studied by scholars/students of the field but will never be truly recognized by the general public? I mean, I could ask my mom, who knows almost nothing about politics/philosophy about communism and she would say "Marx" off the top of her head. And I could ask an art major about evolution and he would say "Darwin." It's just a little unfair, n'est-ce que pas?
Edit: one partnership which I think has gotten equal recognition is Watson and Crick (DNA double-helix, won the Noble Prize, etc.). But do people really know who they are? (beyond Bio majors and scientists and all that). I mean... I don't know. But at least they're equally semi-famous.
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