Summer begins...

So, not much of interest has been happening lately. My graduation was on June 20th (Fathers' Day), and, as you all are probably already aware, I chose not to go to the ceremony. Instead, we had a really lovely party on the 19th, and another on the 20th at my friend's house. Thank you all, by the way, for all the graduation wishes. I really appreciate your thinking of me.

Since then, I've basically been driving my brother back and forth from tennis, visiting the Wesners, singing, learning Elvish (yes. Elvish.), hiking and taking walks, reading, and watching the World Cup. ...yeah. I've been doing a lot of that. I was devastated when the US got knocked out, but I can't say I was surprised. In retrospect, I shouldn't have been surprised that England got beaten out as well, but... wow was that depressing. I was planning on cheering for them if the US got sent home, but now that we're both gone, I suppose I'll just go with Argentina. Eh.

But soccer aside, I'm going to see one of the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival's productions on Saturday with my family (both the ones related by blood, and the ones that aren't (:D), so I'm excited for that. I've also been meaning to play more badminton... I may or may not have already mentioned this, but I'm starting a badminton club as soon as I get to Goucher (because there's no way I'm going to survive the last few weeks of summer in Maryland without it), and I need to get "training" for that... heh. I have so many good memories connected to badminton, really. Good friends, good weather (and some not-so-good weather)...

I'm sorry there's not much more I can really talk about. I haven't really been doing anything too dramatic. My sleep schedule is all screwed up now, though... I usually wake up at around 5.30, and go to bed at 10.30-11.00ish, but now, I've started going to bed at around 2.30-3.00 in the morning, and waking up at 7.00ish. (Told you. Not interesting.)

I'll write when something more exciting happens. Until then, my love to all.

Tasha

Lots of news

Well, I suppose I should get the bad out of the way first: my laptop crashed, so I haven't had much computer access. I've been able to get most of my files back, as I email most of them to myself at school, but there's still a lot of stuff that I did over the past summer at the writing programs and the NSLC that I won't be able to find again... ah well.

But other than that, things have been going great. I got my driver's license on June 3rd (finally). And prom was... well. A LOT more fun than I expected it would be.

Just a few pictures, but I think you get the idea.

Monday was my last day of high school. That was interesting... on the one hand, I am so incredibly happy to be leaving. On the other hand, there are some people I'm going to miss seeing almost every day. And there's this strange feeling of attachment to the building itself. On Monday morning, I went around to all my usual haunts (past and present): the hallway outside the computer lab, my desk in the library, the green room, the forest pathways behind the parking lot, my favorite tree... and I don't know how much I'll miss those places, but there was the kind of "this is my last time here" kind of thought going through my head. Very strange.

But moving on: I went to my summer orientation at Goucher yesterday. It was amazing. I met so many people I liked (and one person I rather didn't, but that will probably change as I get to know her, as we'll be riding together). I took the equestrian placement in the morning and, of course I'm not on the team. Having never ridden at that level, and having not ridden in about four years I never expected to be. I took the placement because I was interested in taking lessons, and I was going to sign up as a beginner. But the head of the department said that if I had any experience riding at all, I should take the placement, so I did... and I got placed the level above beginner. And I've got a job at the stables for next year set up. So... that's good, I suppose. :) It was amazing seeing some of the other people riding, though... the two girls who made the team were just beautiful to watch.

I've also decided that I'm starting a badminton club. I asked around, and there isn't one already, and quite a few people I talked to said they would be interested, so... I've got that project ahead of me. I'm also working on setting up my schedule for the fall semester, which is turning out to be surprisingly complicated... I kinda wish that the advisors could be of more help, but I suppose its good for me to figure out all this stuff on my own. My advisor is also my professor for the Philosophy of Science, and I met him yesterday. I like him, so far at least. Interesting sense of humor... he refers to the building in which he works as "the labyrinth," and to the area in which his office is as "the place where the minotaur resides." I was the only person in the class who got that joke, which I think he appreciated.

So... I'm excited.

What else... well. I'll be working at a local organic farm for a few weeks this summer. They run a small children's camp, and I'll be helping out there, as will a friend of mine. So that should be fun. I went to the orientation for that on Sunday, and I'm looking forward to that.

I'll let you know when more things come up... in the meantime, my love to all,

Tasha