When in doubt, Drink Orange Juice

This is a picture from Katie and Mikey's regatta two years ago. It's a favorite picture of mine AND it's a good one of Heidi behaving (i.e. sitting down when told).

Faithful Heidi has been following me around the house. I wish she could come to Kappa and live with me. I'm going to miss her so much, even her incessant barking when she's trying to protect the house from people walking their own dogs and delivery men who walk up the steps to our house.

So it's after two in the afternoon. The kids should be getting home from school soon but I have yet to eat lunch yet. Why? Not hungry enough to make anything. Some may call that lazy, I call it Orange Juice Time! I'm munching on almonds too, so that should give me even more nutrients.

Today I decided to put on my swimsuit and get some sun. It was nice for a while, but then it got boring because it was too bright to read and I'd rather keep myself busy than sit/ lay around. I still got enough to notice a darkening of my Irish complexion, so I'm satisfied. Life's too short to sun-bathe.

Finishing packing. I've decided this is one of the worst processes ever. Packing, unpacking, packing, unpacking. I've almost finished books before I'm going to move onto details, like chargers and headbands and other things you don't think about until they're not at your disposal. Half my clothes are packed up. I'm glad most of my winter stuff is still at school in storage. It's nice not having to think about where to find my hat and mittens this time of year.

I've re-discovered Irish writer Jim Tully, who wrote during the 20s and 30s. Mencken was actually a fan and friend, as I recently found out. He's quite good and has a very strong poetic voice which rings gruff and true. I read too many books at one time, but still I devour them. 

The question of the day is what is your favorite book and why? Mine, for instance, would be 'Vile Bodies' by Evelyn Waugh for his biting satire on the upper-middle class in England before the war, with some of the best dialogue and characters. A close second or tie would be 'The Loved One,' also by Evelyn Waugh, which is a satire on America, religion and love. Again, the dialogue is hilarious and very dry. The best Waugh is 'Brideshead Revisited,' but you've got to read the book before you see the movie--actually, don't see the Focus Films movie at all, it is simply dreadful and completely misses the point of the book as well as misinterprets it. If you're going to watch a good version of Brideshead, I would recommend the BBC version with Jeremy Irons, but be warned that it is very long. Any and all book suggestions welcome as well!

"Two"-day is brought to you by the number 2!

Two is the number of days I have left in Cincinnati, the number of bags I need to pack for school, the inches I got cut off my hair, how many cupcakes I ate when my cousin Sarah brought over to the house this afternoon and my newest blisters (one on each heel).

My brother is telling me about the muscles he's building in football and giving me a physical demonstration of leg-ups. He wants me to see a game, but I don't know if I'll be home until Thanksgiving. I'd love to see him play, though. He'll be 12 the next time I see him and a lean, mean football-playing machine! (opposed to playing "futbol" :) the usual Robison sport of choice)

I had dinner tonight at my Uncle Mark and Aunt Tracey's with my cousin Sarah. It was superb. Mark and Tracey live about a half hour away on this plot of land with their animals and in a house modeled after one of the founding fathers in Virginia's house. It's a beautiful house filled with beautiful art work, but it's only the two of them (both their kids are grown up). I have not seen them since Christmas, easily. My aunt is really sick, so I wanted to see her before I left.

I went on a long run yesterday so I took it a little easier today, but I think I need a back massage or something for my lower back. I also should be stretching my hamstrings better, but that's neither here nor there. 

I leave for school on Saturday. I'm off to pack now. Sarah's going to come over later and we'll do something, but for now I am drinking Irish whiskey mixed with orange juice. It's a bad combination, by the way, but I didn't think I should be around the little kids drinking whiskey straight on the rocks and we hardly keep any pop in the house. I probably should have looked around the bar area better but didn't. Now Mom and Muffy are eating drumstick ice cream and Heidi is barking and playing with her bone.

In closing, I think I won one of the snobs over. Last night, Finny let me play with him and today he curled up by my feet while I was reading. Cecily...not so much. He also climbed over me, which I felt was a trusting exercise. Cecily and I do not get along as well. She keeps her distance and I've learned to as well. The rule of thumb with the snobs in general is to let them come to you, which I supposes helps perpetuate their reputations as snobs. Dad just got home from work. Beau was sitting on Mom's car. He always waits for Dad to come home before coming inside for the evening.

Ahh, home.

Padfoot, Playground and Pete

Today I am working at Dad's office. By the end of the day, three reviews mostly done will become three reviews all done. Quite excited as I'm very methodical and like having things done one-by-one in order.

I am also having lunch with my friend Erin K. (see right!) from high school. We met in 8th grade standing in line at Ursuline, waiting to get fitted for our uniform skirts. She was wearing a Power of the Pen shirt, which is a competitive writing program in Ohio for 7th & 8th graders. I was on the team at my grade school as well and had gone to state the year before (I made regionals in 8th grade)! So of course my mother pressured me into saying hi and making awkward conversation, which turned into great conversation and a great friend all during high school and beyond.

She's actually transferring to the California Institute of the Arts; she's been in the DAAP program at UC, which is also great, but not as great. It's where Brad Bird from Pixar went too, so she is stoked about that. It'll be terrific to see her and catch up before she's off to the West Coast!

Tomorrow I shall be doing playground duty with my mother at Cardinal Pacelli, my gradeschool. It's not a huge hassle since we live a block away from our church and the school is next to it, only up the hill. Playground duty is for a volunteer opportunity for two parents to help keep more eyes on the kids at recess. It goes in shifts, starting at 11:15 with the 7th & 8th graders. Each shift is 15 minutes long.

The first shift will be the best because I'll be able to catch up with my favorite teacher I've ever had, Mrs. Knight. She was my English and grammar teacher in 7th & 8th grade, and the one who really fostered my love of language, books and writing. It will be wonderful to catch up with her and any other teachers I happen to run into. I tell you, some people never leave!

I'll also get to see Johnny and Meg at recess and spend more time with Mom before going out to lunch with my grandmother. Once I am back at home, I shall help Mom work on my birthday present and I shall pack. Yes, my birthday was in March, but her present to me is a photo album of my first 21 years and she wants me to help her pick out the pictures (she has a lot, to say the least. If I died today, PBS could run a 6 hour special on me.) All in all, it should be a solid day!

Back to "The Protest Singer: An Initimate Portrait of Peter Seeger" by Alec Wilkinson.

Summarization of my political views

"The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first."
-Thomas Jefferson

The Ohio Republican party sent me a census to take so, I did, even though I feel like the possible answers to the questions were not sufficient and could be ill-used as a statistic. I got caught on the first question because they wanted to know what type of Republican I am. Now, I am registered as a Republican but I do not believe myself to be one (at least not the type of Republican which propagates itself today) so no, I am not a 'Conservative Republican,' a 'Moderate Republican,' a 'Liberal Republican' (what exactly is this? It seems like an oxymoron), or an 'Independent who votes Republican.' I was unsatisfied with the choices.

What I am politically bothers me because I above all consider myself a Conservative. What shade, though, is the tricky part. My friend Sean calls me a "damn libertarian" but while I share many of the same beliefs with them (my computer even sports a Libertarian Party sticker! compliments of CPAC 2007), I can't bring myself to wholly commit to the party. I do love Rothbard and von Mises, though.

I'll have more thoughts on this later. I'm still deciding my stance on things and I'm a smorgasbord of Conservative - Libertarian - Agrarian (I blame a pure love of Wendell Berry). The one thing I can say definitely: I believe in the United States Constitution as the supreme law of the land. I believe in the Bill of Rights, particularly the 10th amendment. States' rights is the only true way to have a democracy. I love the Federalist papers and my favorite presidents are Grover Cleveland and Calvin Coolidge.

Everything besides that is just details the government shouldn't be minding itself with. They need to pay attention to national security and taxes; the rest should depend on the efforts of the people to better their lives and their situations.

Why my siblings are great and make my cloudy day better

My little brother John walked down to the square to get himself a sandwich from Subway and brought me back a chocolate chip cookie because I told him I didn't want anything. When he got back, he told me he didn't want me to be envious of his sandwich (I would not have been; I don't particularly like sandwiches) and "You need something to be happy about and cookies make everyone happy."

Isn't he the sweetest and best 11 going on 12 year old brother?!

Now Marianne is back from the library and she brought me back a movie, "Monsieur Vincent." She thought I would like it. I am excited to watch it! It was filmed in 1947.

John is giving me a history lesson. He is so brilliant. John's lesson of the day: if you want to conquer the world, don't mess with the Jews. Next time: John's thoughts on Noah and the flood. He's moved onto Saddam Hussein now--I can't keep up with this kid!