i am not a robot

Title: Marina & the Diamonds 

San Francisco has been awkwardly hot the passed two days. People are in a panic. It is almost the next War of the Worlds as people try to go outside in sweaters and realize it is too hot. Pale skin is exposed rawly to the beams of the cloudless sun rays. There is no fog in sight. It has gone missing. I wore a strapless dress and nothing else today. I read my text books in the sunshine on Union Square Plaza. I am in a wonderful mood today and I thank helio-therapy. 

October has begun, just incase you did not know. Fall is here, the leaves should be changing, and the orange yellows and browns should be making their seasonal appearances on the wardrobes that walk to the streets to and from the coffee shops and work. 

To get into the holiday spirit, my family treated me (literally) to some fun packages. Yesterday I got a can in the mail. A soup sized can. As i opened it I was shocked to find there was no chicken noodle broth mixture, but a cute little note, candies, vampire fangs, black sparkle metallic nail polish, and boo mallow marshmallows. This was all from my sister. She even made me wait to open it until she could watch me do it on skype. Two and a half hours later I had finished all the candies and was almost in tears as I bid my sister (dressed in surgeon gear may I add) goodbye. She made my day.

Now I was coming home from class, I approached the doors, and the security guard couldn't wait to get out "Audrey, you have another package!" She was excited as she pulled out an orange box with pumpkin stickers and my Mother's handwriting. The minute I saw it, I knew my school teaching perfect handwriting too cute for words Mama had sent me something that no other college student would ever recieve. I rushed to my room, tore open the tape (which took longer than it should of. note to you: i had tape and envelopes) and almost died as i held halloween decorations in my hand. Mama sent me bats to put on the wall! With help from Emme and Phoebe, we now have bats flying from the mirror, to the door, and over to my neighbors door. We are the envy of the dorm. People have visited from other floors just to see the magic. People have offered me money to send to my mom so she can buy them some. I can confidently say that I have the best Mom in the world. No joke. 

I love Tuesdays because I have my favorite class, with my favorite teacher. I started my day getting a latte from Sugar Cafe, sipping it while I critiqued/analyzed/observed/argued about photographs as the sun rose through the windows for participation points. My class loved my final prints of different perspectives of Emme. I will give you the link once I post them, but I am incredibly proud of my work. Our next assignment is to shoot form and narrative. I love pieces that scream stories, provoke questions, make you want to know more. I have the perfect idea in my mind right now, it is hard to explain, so just cross your fingers and I will show you the final piece. 

I printed out my resume today and I am ready to turn it in to a coffee shop five blocks from my house. Cross your fingers. 

I am going to end this post with a product review. Now, before coming here my Mother and I were shopping at good ol' Costco. It was here that we stumbled upon some new razors for my shaver. They didn't need shower cream, it was like built onto it. You know what I mean? Well they work great, but they get sticky, they never dry, and they melt every time you get it wet. They only lasted a few shower uses and the little plastic piece that surrounds the blade actually fell off when i picked it up this morning. Although they are cute. Do not buy them. 

Ciao Bellas. xoxo 

Im here! Im here! Im really here!

Well here it is, the first post from my dorm room in San Francisco. Never thought this day would come? Neither did I. I do not really have much to say, because well, it has not really sunk in that I am living in one of the most beautiful and artistic cities possible. I will give you the brief low down.

I have a room on the fifth floor of an all girls apartment. A large, white, spacious, piece of a room it is. I share with three other girls: Phoebe, Savannah, and Kayleigh. Phoebe is here from New Zealand, studying graphic design, Savannah is a fashionista (and fashion studier) from Santa Cruz, and Kayleigh is originally located just out side of the city and will be joining me in the study of photography. So far, they all seem very nice – but hey, it is only the first night. ;)

I slowly have put my stuff together and decorated the walls. I even have a light up star, bought by my beautiful Mother in China Town, above my personal desk. Photographs to come, I promise.

I just wanted to give a quick shot out so you know I am alive and not swallowed by the big city life. So excited to start this adventure. Missing my salty street friends and family. Much love (mostly to my Mama, Father, and Sissy!)

Sweet dreams! Xoxo 

Happy Late Thanksgiving!

Being in Italy celebrating an only American holiday is quite the sensation. First off, you do not get school off, in fact, you even have an extra class. Thursday we had a rescheduled cinema class in the morning, followed by film photography in the afternoon. Other than not having school off, I actually had to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. The three of us did a splendid job at that. Our menu included frosted tap water and delicious local red wine from our friends around the corner. Then we started off with an appetizer of fresh pink lady apples, swelled with orange juice. The main course included The Rachel-Grandma Shaw famous stuffing, hand mashed with a fork and arm muscles potatoes (by yours truly,) hot rolls, and of course, a turkey breast basted in seasonings, carrots, and mushrooms hand rubbed by Joanna. Dessert included milk from our own personal cartons and (Joanna’s Mom --->) Kathy’s too good to be true fudge sent all the way from Pittsburg. Now although it is nothing to compare to the amazing meal my family makes in the States, BUT considering we all had never really cooked anything like a Thanksgiving dinner, the meal was eaten with a smile and a sigh of content was released after we were induced into a food coma. To finish off the evening, we sat in the living room listening to Shaggy and Italian’s own Lucio Dalla, while yelling with laughter at a three-hour game of Catch Phrase. I even got told a bedtime story before passing out from a wonderful evening.

So here I am, wishing you all a very, Happy Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for my family and friends (who I miss so much,) for the opportunity to live in the most beautiful country, the chance to chase my dreams, and for the best life any one could ask for. I am truly lucky, blessed, and ever so thankful.

Forever and Always. Xoxo Ciao. Ciao.

a sip of colorado kool-aid

Thursday:

• My adventure started at about 9:27 am. Our goal was to get out of the house at 9:30- so we were excited that finally the Rotermund family was going to be on time. 
• We drove for a few hours singing loudly until we reached the beautiful Steamboat Springs where we ate at Johnny B Good's (Gabrielle and I's favorite.) 
• Stuffed- we shoved ourselves into the big beluga (our giant white tour van) and drove to Winter Park. 
• After arriving, the crew and myself, walked around town and visited the skatepark to announce that the Concrete Rodeo has arrived. 
• We were each greeted with flowers and gift baskets. People flew to us asking for autographs  and hugs. An elderly women even came to me and begged me to kiss her child like I was Obama or something. (Okay- i exaggerated a little bit. But only about the gift baskets. haha) 
• Dinner was delicious and greasy at a local Pizza place. This was a hot spot for visitors and skiers- in the winter time (obviously)
• Gabrielle and I shared a nice little room at the Viking Lodge (Thank you Cdog) where we stayed up all night waiting for her hair to dry so it would not dry funny and get a natural bump it. (She still got a bump it- actually she got four) 
• we watched a dread awful movie but it was kind of entertaining
• i lost in a joke war to Max through text messages,
• Becca text me her concert situation 
• I slept soundlessly through the night. 

Friday: 

• Event Day
• I felt awful for most of the day. 
• I slept on a rock like a lizard in the morning during registration
• we had 36 kids enter!! Biggest event all year! So exciting! 
• Gabrielle announced! (this is one of her biggest fears but I forced her to do it instead of me so i could take pictures and she rocked the mic) 
• We stayed at Kristine's house (thank you) in Denver. 
• The salad at LOLA's was better than my burrito last year. 
• I slept on the floor (but slept well. I like the floor) 

Saturday: 

• we drove a lot today. (alot.) 
• the continental divide was pretty legit. (it has not changed much from last year) 
• I am currently in Glenwood Springs, Co. 
• There is a event tomorrow. 
• Pictures to come. 
• Goodnight. 
• xoxo