The Halloweek

Hey there, dream sailors. This year I have found myself wanting to invest all of my energy into truly enjoying Autumn and the Holidays, themes and tradition that surround them. It's been really nice caring about things, investing time and love into the things I do, and getting the gratification of the outcomes that come with it. So I guess my theme this week (maybe I'll do themes now, eh?) is investing in Autumn.


So I never really wrote about my break that happened this month, but it was a fairly low key one, which as we (hopefully) know, is quite my style. I posted my photos of be-sweatered arms holding up leaves against the river, bikes against grafittied brick walls, and trains that rode their way under the bridge I was standing on (no, we don't need to talk about how faux-artsy hipster I have become. I am acutely aware of this fact). That was my first day of break, where I spend the day listening to the newest "Welcome to Night Vale" podcast while chillin in the cemetery.

 Which reminds me, you guys might like the podcast Welcome to Night Vale. For the past few months I've basically been recommending this podcast to anyone who appreciates noises and words (so most people), including my English Major Advisor, who is also my Advanced Poetry professor, as well as a jean jacket and newspaper-boy hat wearing genius, profound quotes generator and good company maker. I like him, basically. He is a good and talented man.  But back to Welcome to Night Vale. Let me find a good summary of the podcast:

"Welcome to Night Vale is a bimonthly podcast produced by Commonplace Books that is set up like a community radio show with local news, advertisements and announcements for the fictional desert town of Night Vale...The series begins when a scientist named Carlos and his team moves into the town to investigate strange and supernatural happenings within the desert town including the opening of a dog park that is populated with shrouded, hooded figures and a house that does not actually exist". 

It's basically H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast, but spoken about as if the strange and horrible occurrences of the town are normal happenings that people just learn to deal with. It's amazing and will get you in the Halloween spirit, which is what I'm all about, though I've been listening to it since the summer so...I guess I've just been in a spooky mood since August. So go listen to that.

But back to my break (I guess). I also went to the town's thrift shop (again) to buy some t-shirts because all of mine are either old and covered with pellets or too small and tight-fitting (I HATE TIGHT FITTING TOPS. ALL I WANT IS TO WEAR BAGGY SHIRTS AND JEANS AAAAH I FEEL PASSIONATELY ABOUT THIS). So, anyways, I got to the shop and bought like three shirts (one of which I tried to cut when I got home because I wanted to experiment with 'editing' my own clothing but then I accidentally destroyed the shirt oh well, it was 99 cent. I regret nothing). But anyways, I went a little overboard with the "WOW EVERYTHING IS SO CHEAP BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS HALF-OFF ON WEDNESDAYS" shopping splurge, and even though I only spent 14 dollars, I spent it on 3 shirts (which I approve of purchasing), knock-off Doc Martins (possibly one of my favorite purchase I have ever made at a thrift shop), (and here's where it gets ridiculous) a velvet black skirt, a floral day-dress that goes to my ankles, and a corduroy overall-dress that is too small and looks ridiculous on me and yet I purchased it still. Overall, only a bit of  buyer's remorse because I'm going to rock everything other than the overall-dress, but still, my actions were a bit absurd.

The rest of the break I just read books and lounged in my amazingly beautiful home, rode my rented bike around, and sang and danced and lived life joyously. But on one of the days of break, I persuaded Victoria and Pat to make caramel covered apples with me. For the most part, things went swimmingly. We bought supplies, set up our station at Victoria's overflow basically off-campus house, and make gorgeous caramel (and chocolate and toffee) covered apples:

However at the end of our caramel covered apples adventuring the smoke detector went off. Which was weird. Because there was no smoke. Because we melted the caramel and chocolate by hot water in a double boiler. Go figure. But we still managed to make around 8 caramel covered apples. I still have one in the fridge, if you're interested. Just come on over. 

So break was a wonderful respite from the HORRORS of being educated in subjects I actively pursue to understand. E gads, the troubles and woes I must bear to get my degree. 

These last two weekends I have travelled with different friends for different reasons to Nezinscot Farms. For the first trip, it was with Natasha, Natasha's mom, Barbara, Ashleen, and Erika for Natasha's birthday. Natasha's mom treated us to lunch, which was surprising and quite kind of her, and I got to meet a few furry friends that Ashleen worked with over the summer (she worked at Nezinscot over the summer). Photo time:

                                             

And the second time I went to Nezinscot it was with Grace and Catherine (my roommates) because Grace and I needed to buy some culture for the cheese we were inspired to make in our house due to a cheese-making class we took at Bates. Catherine came along because she had never gone to Nezinscot before:

"In my day we couldn't buy culture,
we had to MAKE it"

Portrait of a dog person and not a dog person.

And then Mike and I have been taking online Geography quizzes together for fun. I know all of the countries in Europe now. Onto Asia? Iunno man, it's fun.

AND THEN HALLOWEEN PARTIES. I dressed up as a skeleton in honor of my favorite spooooky comics:

http://frenums.tumblr.com/post/61331586565/stop-making-these-its-not-even-october-go-suk

http://frenums.tumblr.com/post/63594317240/hinga-dinga-durgen

http://frenums.tumblr.com/post/62285145742/yes-its-booberry-pie-ok-dont-ask-me

if you want to see them all:

http://frenums.tumblr.com/tagged/my_art

And so then, while looking at some pictures for reference, I made a costume. A spooky costume.

         

I'M REALLY PROUD OF MY DRAWING AND PAINTING SKILLS SO I MAY HAVE TAKEN QUITE A FEW SELFIES OF MY MAKEUP OKAY IT'S FINE. 

But I really enjoyed the parties and the dance that I went to. As I was getting ready for the parties/dance, I was afraid that people would think I was lame for trying too hard with my costume, or that I would be the only girl dressed up as something that wasn't a "cute" or "sexy" version of a costume (my face was frightening in person. Like. Scary. See?)

 and so I was afraid that I'd be ostracized for it, but then I went to some parties and realized that I'm at mother fucking BATES where everyone dresses up in every different way and appreciates when a person takes time to draw all over their face and body and wear skeletal clothing. From the arts house kids to super duper drunk biddies that stumbled by, people were really digging my costume and were quite inclined to compliment me. It was nice. It was very wonderful.

And then somewhere in the story I danced at a Bed Bath and Beyond for a bit.

Oh, and also, today I met with one of my major advisors (Farnsworth, the man I was gushing about before) and it looks like things are pretty solid on the requirements front. I've taken a good amount of classes that I need to for both of my majors as well as general ed and my other concentration, and as long as I get into the classes I need to get into, it'll be smooth sailing for me for the next year and a half. A lot of English classes, one enviro class, and an archeology class basically. Plus two theses: an environmental studies thesis paper (like 100 pages or so?) first semester, and a creative writing poetry thesis (20-25 ish pages of poetry?) for my second semester. It's going to be great. I'm already brainstorming topic ideas for my environmental thesis. I also am going to try and WWOOF in Denmark this summer and then travel around Europe. Because why not? I'm going to try to finagle a grant out if it haha. Maybe. If I can write persuasively and plan out a good project. WHO KNOWS?!? SO MANY OPTIONS IN LIFE TO PURSUE. 

So yeah, that's about it. I'm in love with my friend group, I'm making a few new ones but mostly growing closer to the ones I already have, classes are good, I'm studying things I love, and I love you guys and miss you and am glad you're having a good time doing your things for the most part (discluding sicknesses and breakups and being tired and having work and disliking certain aspects of life). 

Talk at you later,

Nicole Danser