Jenn’s blog

I have experienced the wondrous "pay-check-every-week" after balancing two jobs, full time and part time. Believe me, I'm going to make it rain, all over those student loans. I've endured my first swim meet in five years, three hours away; to continue running, and up my mileage. I've even managed to cure a cold, or some sort of bug that involved vomiting at work, with help from Marshall who ran out to get me medicine. But can I...finish New Moon...in 24 hours?

I've struggled through this book in comparison to Twilight. I read Twilight in two days, while in Spain when I had less than a week left in the country. Those two days, it was too hot walk around, so I grabbed some shade and read in the park. When I finished it, I kicked myself for compromise the space in my luggage for more makeup rather than taking New Moon.  I could have finished it months ago!

I knew the movie New Moon was coming out for months and I knew I would finish the book before the movie, but I wasn't planning on meeting up with dear ol’ Procrastination.
Everyone tells me how boring New Moon is, real motivating, huh? Then I get frustrated with Stephanie Meyer and weak Bella and the feminist in me, I've tried so hard to tame, starts to flare up. But then I realize there's worse stuff on TV and FACEBOOK, to dilute my mind, yet still attached.

The girls at my work asked me the first day if I read, while they were exchanging books from a series (I can’t remember the name but there were SEVEN books, the type was so tiny and filled the pages unlike Twilight). I shamefully stared at my feet and confessed my secret "...maybe Twilight." I was expecting them to roll their eyes while saying "oh, you're one of those girls" believe me I get it a lot. I even had a chick say that to me when I said I use an elliptical machine for my workouts...what the hell?
Anyway, the girls at work were so excited "OH, SHE'LL FIT RIGHT IN!" …so much in fact, I'm seeing the movie with them Friday night (nope, not opening night, I mean I'm not one of those girls, right?).
Only one problem, I'm not finished with the book...and everyone knows...so everyone challenges me, “Jenn, you finished yet” ,“I bet I can finish Harry Potter before you can finish New Moon” ,“What the hell do you do at nights, read, GIRL”  What do I do at night? I’ve got SHOWS, and Facebook, and sometimes I like to watch PAINT DRY, on HDTV of course!  Jesus.

I told Mandy (a girl at work), I can do this, I can finish it in a day, all I need is a quiet place, a coffee and I can knock it out. “Let’s see what you’re made of” she replies. Oh man, no pressure.

almost there buddy

P.S. One girl from work is going tonight, she made a shirt that says "I don't need a guard dog, I run with Vampires" Go Team EDWARD! GiveBloo

I start my new job this Monday and I'm pretty excited. Lot's of stuff to learn! I took a couple of days off to visit with family and friends back home just this week.

For now I am still going to work at TCC, the minimum of 12 hours a week (working weekends). My reasons for doing so were the benefits.
The major reason was the SRSC discount (IU's gym). However, I just found out, I must be a 40 hour week employee receive that perk. I've heard there is a 24 hour gym in Bloomington, this might work.

Now, I'm banking on pay...every week. IU and Title Plus! are on oposite pay weeks, this would be fun, money-every-Friday. Are the 12 hours a week worth giving up my weekend for the $$? Time will tell.

Graveyards are pretty killer though (the day after) and I have some plans coming up for the next few weekends, which jeprodize TCC's 12 hour minimum. Next week I have a swim club meet at Miami of OH and the week after that I plan on having some friends up for a show in Bloomington.

That's pretty much it for now.

November 1-2 is Dia de Los Muertos! 

Calaveras

I'm working on the portfolio, perfecting the resume and writing cover letters to design firms, in house designer and so on. I am relatively surprised at the some of the jobs on the market, many look pretty good for this economy in Indy, Louisville, and even some in Bloomington. A week ago I went to a Retail and Design fair at IU, Design...but not graphic design, Interior design. When I asked the representatives what design positions they offered,  many, unfortunately didn't have any info on their GD department. I'm finding a majority of my info on sites like simply hired, indeed, and of course IU career services.

I'm updating both portfolios, digital and print. As of now, www.designjenn.com, hasn't had any major developments, but you can visit jennglas.carbonmade.com for some recent work. Carbonmade.com only allows five uploads until you have to start paying. I wouldn't mind, I think it is worth it, but as you know, I have a site of my own.

I've been searching for some people to speak Spanish to, but lately I've been watching CNN's Rick Sanchez, and he interviewed the Costa Rican president about the Honduras situation, and the interview (4 mins) was in Spanish…great practice to have after 3 months. I'll find my fix somewhere.

Two weeks ago, I bought my last Student SRSC membership and since then I've also joined the IU Swim Club. I was interested in joining the Bloomington Masters Group, but I was having trouble finding info. It feels so nice to be back in the water again after four years. I tried joining it freshman year but always had a conflicting schedule. Now that I'm working at TCC, I made sure to have early shifts, this allows me to make practice at 6:30. I've also started to run again. This time last year I was in shape and running a couple of miles EVERY DAY...only a couple though. Today, I'm lucky if I can do the stair master for ten mins. But at least I'm swimming, riding my bike to work, and running before Swim Club, beginner steps to a triathlon. Hah. One day, maybe. At least I’m working of the Spanish carb pounds.  I'm thinking about doing the Run for the End Zone, it is in a couple of weeks so I have my ndurance to work on.

I tried on bridesmaids dresses for my friend Kendrick’s wedding last weekend. I’m excited; this is the first wedding I’ve ever been in. I found out a majority of my friends have been in several; flower girls, bridesmaids, groomsman, "man of honor?". Of course, I’m also excited for Kendrick, and I’m honored she wants me in it. I think her color choices are beautiful, black and white, stayin' classy. I’m not sure what color flowers, I’m guessing red roses, if so Black, White and Red, is the strongest color pallet. I find it very designerly, after all she is an interior designer. She also wants me to design the wedding invitations, inspired by nature, like Antoni Gaudi the Catalan architect which is considered Art Nouveau.

Kendrick's bridemaid dress.

I've been in the US for a few months now, I still have a lot I need to put up about Spain. Hopefully I'll keep up on the blog. 

May 16th-17th

My bus ride to Granada was three hours. I listened to music and planned my next 24-hour adventure. I stayed in Hostel Oasis; it is a pretty popular chain of youth hostels in some of Spain's popular cities. The directions said get off at the Cathedral stop on the street named Gran Via. Well, I saw a huge building and thought it was the Cathedral so I got off, only to find I was about six blocks too early. It was night, I was on a bus that didn't say the exact stops, give me a break. Oh well, I asked these two old men how far away the Cathedral was but they weren't from Granada. Then a couple with a baby told me I was in the right direction. I made my way to the hostel; it was up a narrow street with nothing but Moroccan tearooms with Moroccan souvenirs. I got to the hostel probably at 11:30pm. Put my luggage away, in my ten-person dorm, to find people were already asleep, so I had to be extra quite.

I called Tammy, and we set up to meet at the Cathedral's main entrance. It was kind of funny, we only met each other once before this but she didn't mind showing me around and she brought her roommate. They were both very nice. They took me on a night tour; we get chocolate con churros and saw the river. We planned to meet up again the next day before my Alhambra visit.

At the head of the Cathedral holds the bodies of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, the queen that funded Christopher Columbus’ expedition…and by expedition I don’t mean FORD.  My friend Colleen told me in Sevilla, that when Isabella died she wanted an eternal flame to burn in her honor, but recently the Spaniards felt they were wasting too much gas to fuel the fire, so now an LED light hangs above her tomb. Womp womp.

That morning we met in front of the cathedral, where two weddings were taking place and a first communion…little girls in white dresses, well they could have been in the wedding.  She took me on a daylight tour of the city. We went to the top of the Albaicín and went in the courtyard of a small mosque (obviously we did not enter nor could we), there are fountains all over the place in Granada. Tammy told me this is because when the Moors lived here they built a water pressure system to show off their engineering skills. It doesn’t rain in this part of Spain so it also allowed more control over water. They would have fountains that actually had water pressure, some for bathing some drinking. While were at a park over looking all of Granada with the gypsies, tourists and Rastafarians, staring in the face of the Alhambra we actually heard the Muslims being called to worship.

Granada is…basically two steep hills (jagged rocks), with a beautiful city at its feet. On one is the Arabic neighborhood (Albaicín) and the other holds the Alhambra, which belonged to the Moors. Unfortunately, the Spanish Inquisition threatened to take it or declare war, the Muslim ruler didn’t want to harm the palace so he handed over the key without a fight. So this is what his mother said to him, “You cry like a boy, for what you cannot fight for like a man.” Excuse me? They even sell necklaces with “the key;” I really don’t think that is sending the right message.

I had a reservation for the Alhambra, and I decided to walk there. You cannot be late to your reservation time…CANNOT. I was in line, and actually saw people that were turned away because they missed their time. The woman was so mad, she said she came all the way from Germany. Whoops. I guess the Spanish aren’t so laid back after all…You have to get tickets days in advance; I had mine two weeks ahead of time. I went by my self, it was a great experience to visit alone, to not be rushed and take in the details of every room and stare in every fountain. There is a part of the Alhambra that was constructed by a Catholic king after 1492, it is full of plant life (roses), labyrinths and fountains it is called Generalife, Of course my camera died. I really don’t understand that name General Life, but pronounce it in Spanish as “heneralifey.”

Once again I met up with Tammy and her roommate. We had tapas and then got a pastry. After that I headed to the bus station to head back to Madrid.

May 15th - 17th weekend was yet another puente, this mean bridge, and it is used when there is a three day weekend; it is a bridge to the weekend...I guess saying "viernes libre" doesn't cut it.
During our puente, my friends, Kayla and Colleen hopped on a 7am bus went to Sevilla, south of Spain, part of Andalucia. It was beautiful. Since being in Madrid, I have improved my Spanish, seen amazing art work in the Prado and Reinia Sofia, in Toledo I saw three religions mixing in one city where the famous El Greco once lived, Segovia I saw an ancient aquaduct, but I really think these cities don't offer the same feeling Andalucia does. Mind you, I went to Toledo and Segovia in horrible, freezing conditions, but still.

Andalucia is what you think of when you think of Spain, at least for me. They have flamenco, the tapas, the bull fighting, the Arabic architecture...

Friday, May 15th
Our bus ride was 6 hours, we checked into the hostel. A girl we shared a room with was from IU, how funny! She was studying abroad in Sevilla, and her IU program was over so she was in the hostel with her sister that came to visit. She told us of a few places we could go to see Flamenco, but she said she hates it...sad. Once we got settled in, we knew we didn't have time to see the Alcázar but we managed to make it to the Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes and walk around a bit. We tried Aqua de Sevilla, which is an alcoholic drink that comes in a pitcher mixed with pineapple juice and whipped cream on top. Then we walked by the river, I have found since being in Europe this is my favorite past time. We searched for Flamenco, and found a tavern but they kept letting more and more people in and it was getting cramped, plus they wouldn't start until everyone had their drink orders...how Spanish of them. It seemed impossible to serve everyone, so we left.

Live by the bull, die by the bull.

Inside the Flamenco tavern

Saturday, May 16th
The next day we headed to Real Alcázar (Royal).  This is a Spanish palace that was constructed by the Moors from the 7th century. Queen Isabel and King Fernando lived here (you know, the Queen that funded Columbus' expedition), as well as many other places in Spain.
There is a mix of architecture in the Palace as well...not only Moorish, but Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. One of the Christian kings lived in the Palace with his mistress while his wife lived in a different part.

It is full of fountains, rose gardens, palm trees, it is basically paradise. We saw a man painting and asked in Spanish if we could take a photo, then he asked, "you girls speak English?" He was from the states and lived close to Colleen in MA. He has been in Europe since October, and travels around and said Granada and Sevilla are his favorite. He has been to Louisville, and said he painted portraits for families. It was really exciting. The sun was moving, creating shadow in his painting, and said he has to paint the same time everyday to stay true to the work. He was working with oil. Kayla got his website address, I will ask her for it next time I see her.

Next we went to the Catedral, of...? It is just called Catedral. There is a story that the reconquistadors wanted to create a cathedral so HUGE that all who saw, would think they were madmen. I can just imagine, five or six reconquistadors sitting around drinking Aqua de Sevilla in their fur coats with gold chalices, gold rings especially one on the pinky, and "souvenirs" from the Americas saying, "They gunna think we're CRAZY!"
We made it just in time; it was the last showing until tomorrow. And just guess who is buried there...Cristóbal Colón, I don't need to translate that right? Actually there is a debate if these are his remains. His body was in Cuba but when they gained their Independence in 1902, his body was the first thing they got rid of.  OOh, history, this gives me chills.
Then we climbed the bell tower, which unfortunately, the bells rang every 15 mins. Pleasant. The view was amazing. We could see the river, the bull fighting ring the Alcázar...the earth IS round. It is maybe 30 stories high, and in the olden days, they changed it from steps to a ramp so horses could climb.
There are little chapels inside the cathedral and one is dedicated to St. Anthony, Patron Saint of Lost Things. My dear friend Colleen, 100% Irish and from a devoted Catholic family taught me the prayer she says whenever she loses her keys:
          
                                                                                Saint Anthony,
                                                                                Saint Anthony,
                                                                            Please come down,
                                                                             My ______ is lost,
                                                                           and cannot be found.

                                                          I inserted "job," I'll let you know how that goes.

Next door to the Catedral is Calle (Street) Susona. This story is better than Romeo & Juliet: So a Jewish girl named Susona was in love with a Catholic Knight, every night she would sneak out of her house and meet up with him in his camp. One early morning she was sneaking back in and could hear her father with some other neighbors plotting an attack on the Catholic knights. So she went to warn him. So the knights killed her whole family and she was left homeless, familyless and boyfriendless, converted to Catholicism, and joined a convent. She said that when she died, she wanted her head to hang above the door where her family was killed as a symbol of redemption. It isn't there now, but it was untouched for 100 years. The street was called Calle Muerte (Dead street). <3

After that I had to get going and leave Colleen and Kayla. I was off to Granada, a three hour bus ride. They visited Granada, the weekend Marshall and I went to Valencia for Las Fallas. Don't worry, I didn't travel by myself the whole time, remember Tammy from my Chicago-Heathrow flight? She was studying in Granada, and I e-mailed her before I left and she said she would show me around.

While waiting for my bus to Granada, I went to the medieval fair across the street. I was so excited! I was basically the Rastro (Madrid's street market) with a theme, but still people were dressed up and they had medieval clothes for sale, leather boots, jewelry..

Oh man, I spoke too soon, it was 96° yesterday, and Lakeside is on the other side of the world. No air conditioning, this might be my last blog, for i might die of heat exhaustion. 

I really need to share that it is noon, and only 16 degrees Celsius, it is about 60 degrees F.  It was cold Friday, and all weekend. Usually it is so hot, I dread going outside. This is a nice change, I doubt it will be around for awhile, refreshing.  People were wearing winter coats, this morning. The sun doesn't set until around 9:45. I've heard that it doesn't set until 11 in August, but I won't be around to see that...

I have about an hour commute to school, taking the metro and the bus to Pozuelo. Pozuelo is a suburb of Madrid, and a pretty new community. Though, Pozuelo and my school is only 20 min. outside of Madrid, if you google map it. But nothing is ever fast in Spain, and well it is public transportation, buses and stops and so on. Every month I buy an Abono (comes from the verb: abonar which means: to pay or to credit.) for Madrid Metro and Buses and the B1, which are buses that go to Pozuelo. This allows me to take the public transportation how ever much I want from 6am-2am, and the bujo buses (bujo means owl so these would be night buses), pretty amazing. Since I am over 21, my abono is red, all my friends have orange...and pay 25 euros less than me.
I'm not buying an abono for the month of June, no school, no need for B1 buses...

So, last Friday (May 29th), Rosi and I ran around Pozuelo getting pictures and stopping places we might no see again.
There is a field, with some old cars, trailers, unconventional Spanish housing? There is bus stop right in front where you can see a skyline of Madrid city and cups placed in the fence to spell "Sonrise!" which means "Smile!"

Every now and then it gets cold, I guess it is the mountain wind blowing down to Madrid, it is refreashing, a break from the sun. I took some photos of a storm rolling in last Saturday night (May 30th). But last night, it looked as though it would rain, it didn't,  just go really cold, like March weather, probably 15 Celcius...but then again, I have yet to learn celcius, it is just a guess.

Sorry, the storm pictures might be a waste of your time.