I have to admit I feel a little guilty for being in Spain without CBQ, frequenting his favorite places, calling him from his old dorm, but then the guilt fades away once I realize, “I�m in Spain!” It took a lot to get here too. In the nature of France the train system was on strike, and somehow they coaxed Spain into striking too. So our train was no longer running to Barcelona, however we talked our teachers to getting us on a train going to Toulouse (the closest city to Barcelona we could get to). From there I almost got to drive a van through the Pyrenees into Barcelona, but I was the only one excited about this plan, since everyone who would have been riding with me has seen me drive before. So we took a bus, lost half a day of the field trip, but we finally made it in one piece. We had a blast with the class, even handed out two awards - Catie got the one for best person alive and somehow Wes got an award for being a loud obnoxious flirt (it had a title relating to being an “international” socialite, but I don�t remember it). I am proud of them both and a little surprised that Wes can get an award for being himself

Even though the Spanish government support the war, the people don�t, and they are more aggressive about showing it than the French. “No a la guerre!” is on the street, in the subway, and on an average of every building in sight. But we are safe; people don�t protest violence by causing it.

Becky and I hopped on a ship to Mallorca and we just returned yesterday. It was absolutely gorgeous, and we managed to get a bit of a tan. We rented bicycles and rode around the coast and through C�n Pastillo (the town outside of Palma where we stayed) one day until it got too cold, so we sought shelter in a tattoo parlor where Becky got her eyebrow pierced. Unfortunately our resort area had many old Germans in it, none taking advantage of the nude beaches, so we didn�t get the chance either. But it was fun, even German bingo night at the hotel (because it was too cold to leave the building and we couldn�t let those senior citizens out-party us).

We are back in Barcelona now, about to go shopping, eating plenty of arroz negro and patatas bravas con ai�li. If I must reiterate once again, we have a really rough life!

(Dios Mio! means Oh My God! in Spanish) 1.5 more days of intense work - planning, cleaning, packing, and studying - then we are off to Barcelona! YAY! I am getting really excited. What shall I wear while I am there? Guess I don’t have to worry about that question when I am on the beach….hee hee Today is April Fool’s Day, but I couldn’t come up with any good pranks for anyone. My best early April Fool’s Day prank was given to my dad (who didn’t fall for it for more than 1.5 seconds). I called him 1.5 weeks ago to tell him that I decided to change my major to interior decorating, and it would only take 1.5 years and about $10,000 more before I got my degree, which would be from a two-year institution ofcourse, because Georgia Tech doesn’t offer interior decorating. I guess I laid it on too thick to make it believable. I was quite impressed with myself for even thinking of this idea. I have this condition the French like to call “stair wit,” where you only think of good jokes or the right thing to say after the fact, when you are leaving the party and walking down the stairs, and then it clicks.

So I will try to update my site while I am gone, but I can guarantee that there will be no pictures included until I get back to my Precious laptop. She doesn’t like the sun and sand as much as I do, so she will not be joining me. Au revoir….

p.s. My mom and my aunt got back to the States safe and sound, and they had a wonderful time in Paris, and they were not harrassed at all by the French. Just so you guys know it is safe to travel here.

Something is definitely wrong with me. I have two nights before my final project is due for architecture studio, and I am printing my documents right now (i.e. I am almost done!). I don’t think I have ever finished this early; ofcourse I still have a few odds and ends to finish up, but usually I never get to that point of the project. What has happened to this procrastination that I always complain of having? Ofcourse, there are several other projects that I haven’t even begun, but I will worry about those later. One of those projects happens to be the making of my graduation invitations (I decided I wanted to make my own instead of doing something normal and easy like ordering them), so if you don’t get one in the mail soon, consider yourself invited anyway.

So here is my final document and pictures of my final model for this studio project, which focuses on representation of architecture and representation as architecture. This is a pavilion that celebrates the personality of a security guard, but that isn’t the important part. The assignment focused on representing the ideas of the project clearly in the documents so that no explanation was needed. I decided to be subtle by posting tv monitors across a wall with images relating to the context of the pavilion, so that the entire building becomes an apparatus to monitor the surroundings. There is more boring explanations behind it, but who has the time or the attention span to sit through my ramblings?

Yes that’s right, Quinn has been putting up with me for one full year now, as of yesterday to be exact. If I had to be put into the category of couples where the excitement lies in what toppings to put on your pizza, then I am glad that I am in it with him. But I am sure that we will continue to be as fun and exciting and adventurous as ever…..in the Atlanta metropolitan area, at least for the summer.

Seriously, I have had the time of my life since I met this boy who completely swept me off my feet from day one. I don’t know what I would do without him. We have been spoiled in this first year of our relationship. Our time together has been limited from the beginning, since I was working on the Velux competition when we met, and then he left for Barcelona and I left for Paris, but we have helped each other through it all. He inspires me to work harder while we are apart so we can enjoy doing nothing and everything while we are together. He has taught me to appreciate someone who is sweet and loves me unconditionally. I can’t wait to get back to him so that we can continue this exciting and new journey together.

After filing a report with the city’s lost and found for my purse and Wes’s stuff that I left in a cab, and hearing no response, we got a call from this little old lady who found my keys and Wes’s wallet on the sidewalk. He had a copy of his passport in his wallet, so she tracked him down through the American Embassy. Ofcourse he had already cancelled his credit cards and there was no money left in it, but at least I don’t have to buy him another Coach wallet when we get home. Also, I don’t have to get my locks changed since she found my keys too. So at least I was redeemed a little.

My mom and my Aunt Terrie are here this week visiting. I was a little nervous at first letting them loose in the city by themselves, but now they think they can go anywhere and do anything on their own. We are having a good time. I am finishing up my school work during the day and hanging out with them at night. They got pretty lucky with the weather. It has been absolutely beautiful around here lately. Hopefully it will stay this way.

I have my plans confirmed for spring break as well. First Barcelona with the class field trip (those are always fun), then Becky and I are taking a night ferry to the island of Mallorca where we are staying in a nice beachside hotel (it even has a bathroom in the room!) for two nights. We also have a balcony. Then we take a day ferry back to Barcelona. Quinn says the day ferry has lounge chairs and a pool, so that will be fun. Then we are hanging out in Barcelona for a few more days, getting some good food and sangria, then we are returning to Paris. What a rough life!

I think there should be a limit on how many stupid things that can happen to one person in a certain time period. When Quinn was here I stepped on the wrong place on an escalator, got my new black boot heel stuck and ripped it off. Not only did it rip off it fell down into the escalator and jammed it, so I couldn’t get the heel back. Then last night, amidst our St Patty’s Day celebration, I got out of a taxi and accidentally left my purse in it. I had my wallet/handbag (which is usually the only thing I carry) in my hand from paying the driver, so I didn’t lose my credit cards or anything. But I was holding Wes’s wallet and cell phone in my purse, so I lost all of his stuff, including his favorite Coach wallet that can’t be replaced until we go back to America. I think that actually makes it a worse tragedy, because the only inconvenience I caused myself was the loss of my keys and a really cute bag. I ask myself, “Why do these things always happen to me?” and the only answer I have arrived at is that people have been telling me the truth all these years when they said I was a moron. I should place orange cones around myself to caution others of the weird happenings that are sure to occur in my presence. Besides this trauma, we had a pretty good time celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Wes and I went to dinner a couple of blocks from my apartment in this small little bakery on Rue Mouffetard, where we were the only customers…..until this gorgeous woman walked in and sat down behind me, who happened to be Cheryl Tiegs (huge model from the 70’s). She still looks as perfect as ever, and Wes and I felt very lucky to be in her presence. Every conversation of the night began with this bit of info. So another weekend gone by in good ole Paris. C’est la vie.

Just to clarify, Jessica is “ma na na.” It is a slang way to say “my woman” in French. I think I might have actually made up the term, but anyway. The first picture was taken by Quinn on our routine walk down this street that usually happens between 1 and 2 a.m. The rest of the pictures are of Quinn and me just cutting up and random times and places during the week.

I have always said that this city is made for lovers, so it is no surprise that last week was so perfect. Hopefully with the beautiful weather and the memories of last week, I won’t come down off of this high to be in the bitter mindset that I used to have. I love Paris, but I do have to admit that when the weather is cold and you have no one to snuggle with or kiss on the sidewalk and you must watch everyone else doing it, you develop a bitterness towards happy and warm people. My friend Kerem put it the best way I’ve heard by saying, “Paris is made for walking and kissing. If you have nowhere to go and no one to kiss, then you are screwed.” For this last stretch of my time in Europe, there is no way possible for me to be brought down. The weather is too nice and the surroundings too beautiful, and I can’t think of one place that I frequent that now doesn’t contain a memory of me and CBQ being there. So what more can you ask for?

It has been officially one week since Quinn was in Paris for the last time to visit me ;-( so I decided that it would be a good time to catch up on my picture entries. All of these pictures were taken by Quinn or on his camera, and they are all currently on his new and improved website along with many others if you would like to go there and view them larger. We had a fabulous time, as always, just hanging out and doing a whole lot of nothing.The weeks here go by so quickly, and they speed up even more when he is here; I guess that is what happens when you are having too much fun.


From top to bottom, left to right: Dinner at Jessica’s, she is a great cook. She completely undermined my domestication efforts. Casey and me posing, then Wes and Annie. Jessica and Quinn, then me touching Wes’s nipple. Next row, me and Quinn being cute and in love.
Then Casey, Annie and me, and Wes and Quinn (in the middle of a “who’s cuter” argument like usual).
After dinner we went to a few of our favorite bars. Me, Marissa and Sean in the first picture, and me, Casey, and Jessica with Steve at Steve’s Bar (better known as the Galway) in the second.

Days like this really make me realize how fortunate I am to be in such a beautiful city. The sun was out, the sky was beautiful, and the weather was perfect for wandering throughout the city if you were wearing a coat. If it wasn’t for my friend Sean Quinn, I probably would have stayed indoors all day working on homework and other miscellaneous chores. So I went to a nice lunch with Sean, followed by a short walk around the Chatelet/Hotel de Ville area, bought some ink cartridges and looked at some cool games for our macs (he has one too), and then got some coffee on this trendy, non-touristy street near the river. What a perfect day in Paris. Does it really have to end soon?

As one of our nights in Prague reached a conclusion, Ian pointed out to us that we walk the most dangerous route to the hostel from the metro. To convince us, he played out all the possible scenarios of what could happen on this stranded, graffiti-covered journey beside the interstate, under a bridge, and up a broken set of stairs. This included everything from a gang fight to a drug deal to a prostitution sell (Ian was the prostitute). He thinks this was dangerous…..he definitely hasn’t seen where I used to live on Ponce!