Sad excuse for a post

To Do List

Beau Named Joe returns to the States: 11 days!
>> Hug Joe
>> Drink beer
>> Listen to stories about band kids in Asia
>> Ask lots of annoying questions
>> Cuddle

Sunny Memorial Day Weekend: 3 days!
>> Eat Aunt Sheila's cooking
>> Nap a lot
>> Catch up on reading
>> Sit in the sun on the pontoon

Leave work: 2 hours!
>> Unpack :-(
>> Get cheap coffee before unpacking :-)

Bittersweet

I am officially a college graduate. I officially have a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and Women's Studies. I am officially a SMC alumna.

It feels strange, surreal. It hasn't sunken in that I don't live on campus anymore. I don't have to attend classes anymore. I don't have homework or a GPA to stress over.
Then again, I also don't have my best friends downstairs and my boyfriend down the street. I don't have my mentors just across the quad or badass internet in my bed.

I don't believe any of it yet. What do you mean I don't have class tomorrow? What do you mean I won't see my friends for months? What do you mean I don't have a project due next week?

Sad face. The beau named Joe is literally halfway across the world for two weeks, visiting China and Japan with the Notre Dame band. My best friends are working hours away. And I'm stuck at home, where I use a Compaq desktop with dial-up internet, where my mom keeps the temperature around 64 degrees, where the stuff in the fridge isn't mine, where I live out of boxes and laundry bags.

Happy face. The beau named Joe returns June 1 to stay with me before heading back to Minneapolis, his home. My best friends are only a phone call away. And I'm living at home, where my bed is soft and queen sized, where I sleep in and wake up to my bird chirping, where I play with the Yorkie puppy across the street, where my cat Gus whines if I don't pet him, where I can play with my graduation present-- a red Kitchen Aid mixer!

My graduation present to myself? A day at the spa. I think I'm going to go here. Any suggestions on what I should get done. The sky is the limit because I deserve it.

Edited to add: I won't be commenting on other blogs as much as I have in the past because of the frustration of dial up. I'll keep up as much as possible, though!

thoughts

I taste like garlic.
I'm kinda cold.
I can't believe I got a 3.8 GPA this semester.
I wish the forecast would make up its mind about rain tomorrow.
I can't decide if I like my hair better curly or straight.
I need a haircut. Bad.
I ought to stop setting myself up for disappointments.
I need someone to massage the shit out of my shoulders.
I would really really love someone to give me a day at the spa.
I sometimes think I should've been a nurse.
I think Angelina is going to love her birth kids more than her adopted kids.
I totally know how Pam Beesley feels.
I need to find something to wear to my Baccalaureate Mass in 45 minutes.
I have barely made a dent in my packing and I'm moving out tomorrow.
I hope my mom doesn't find anything inappropriate when she helps me pack this evening.
I hate the act of packing.
I hate putting all of my belongings in cardboard Scholastic boxes from my mom's school.
I graduate tomorrow.
Holy shit, I GRADUATE TOMORROW.

Beer Me

I love beer. I hate cheap-ass nasty beer. No, I'm a beer snob. I'm the girl who judges you and your MGD. I judge your Coors Light and your Bud Select. I even judge your Killian's.

Why? Because I'm convinced I have really good taste in beer.
(Other things I'm convinced I have really good taste in: movies, politics, espresso, margaritas, computers/computer accessories, shoes)

Trying new beers is a bit of an addiction for the Beau Named Joe and me. I think this started during my semester in Rome. Beer and wine were cheaper than water. When I wasn't ordering Spankings (peach vodka + Sprite) or Bailey's coladas, I opted for Guinness or Nastro Azzuro. (I now realize my mistake with Nastro Azzuro... it means "Blue Ribbon" in Italian, like Pabst Blue Ribbon... and that's what it tastes like. Gross.)

Seasonal beers are my favorite. The local brewery makes THE BEST seasonal beer I've ever tasted. They have a pumpkin ale that is TO DIE FOR. Blue Moon also makes a pretty decent fall seasonal beer called Harvest Moon. Their spring seasonal, called Honey Moon, is only alright. I made a mental note to try Sam Adams' summer seasonal variety pack after seeing it in Target today...

Giving the local pumpkin ale a run for its money is Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy. I've looked into this... apparently shandy is a lemonade/beer mix meant for children. And I can imagine why; this shit is delicious. I know what you're thinking: "Lemonade and beer? I bet that tastes like Pinesol." Au contraire, rather than tasting like you've just licked the floor of a gas station restroom, this Summer Shandy tastes like a zesty party in your mouth. First you taste lemony goodness and then you taste a light wheat brew and then you get an aftertaste of heaven. It goes down too easily. In the words of my mother, the first one tastes like another. It's crisp and refreshing and if you drink it, I won't judge you.




In other news, I'm graduating in five days. Holy shit. My school and the university across the street give their seniors a week to fuck around on campus after finals week. They plan all sorts of nice events, but what I'm most looking forward to is the party on the island. We have a little lake with a little island and apparently the administration thinks it's a good idea to throw a kegger on it. That's tomorrow. I'm sure there will be pictures.
And that red dress in recent entries? I'm wearing it again for the beau's commencement ball on Wednesday. That dress is so hot. I can't wait. I'm sure there will be pictures from that, too.
The past three nights, I've dreamed about getting engaged. On top of that, last night I dreamed all my hair fell out when I brushed it. I looked this stuff up in a dream dictionary at Barnes & Noble today and it wasn't good. And because last night's dream consisted of an emerald engagement ring, it was really really not good. WTF? But if all my hair falls out? I'm sure there WON'T be pictures.

Another day in the Reenaeborhood

My name is Renee.
R-E-N-E-E.
The traditional spelling. Not so hard, right?

Wrong.
Trips to Panera are a treat, not just for the delicious black bean soup, but because the person at the register always asks my name. Then they attempt to spell it on my receipt.

I really need to start collecting these receipts.

I'm pretty used to misspellings of "Rene" and "Renae," I've even received a "Renay." Okay, all of these are still understandable. I mean, at least "Renae" and "Renay" are phonetic. And "Rene" is the masculine spelling. Fine and dandy. However, tonight? Wow, tonight was special:
Renee: "I'd like a half and half combo with the Mediterranean Veggie sandwich and black bean soup."
Register Doofus: "Can I get your name, ma'am?"
(Did he REALLY just call me "ma'am"???)
Renee: "It's Renee."

Then I watched him attempt to spell my name. Now, I couldn't see the screen, but I was certain there were NOT two E's at the end. Something went amiss.
Doofus hands me my receipt. Rather, he hands "Reenae" her receipt.
R-E-E-N-A-E
How is this even possible?!

It's as if that nurse at the podiatrist's office who calls me "Ree-Nee" spoke a further bastardized version of my name to Doofus and he butchered it even more. I think that's the worst it's ever been spelled.
Any similar stories, friends?

More letters to life's editors

Dear Paper,
You are approximately one and a half months late as it is. If you weren't one of two assignments for my independent study, I would probably neglect you entirely. But, since my completion of you is dependent upon graduating, I will eventually throw something together this evening. I mean, I read the books that you will be written on, but I've been so unmotivated to write you. The books were rather uninspiring. But I've already started graduation festivities and you, dear paper, are just getting in the way. It's not like you're extremely challenging. I know I'll probably finish you in less than two hours, I just can't muster the energy to spend time on you. I'm sorry.
Love,
Senioritis


Dear 2nd floor study room,
I think I'm really going to miss you. I've spent a lot of time with you this past semester. I like that I can look out your big ol' window and watch people coming in and out of the building. I like that I can adjust your temperature and not bug anyone else. I like that you're located next door to my apartment so it's not too much of a hassle to bring my dinner over or run back to pee. I like that you're almost always empty, like my own little study secret.
Love,
The Anti-Social


Dear Twitter,
Let me do my homework, OK???
Love,
Queen Procrastination


Dear Beau Named Joe,
Stop looking so cute across the table from me. I'm almost going to miss all that graph paper you use when we graduate.
Love,
Sappy McSapfest
P.S. Have you ever used a different pencil than that one?


Dear contest winners,
Your goodies are going to be sent out in the next few days! They'll probably cost an arm and a leg to send (lucky you!!) but it's so worth it.
Love,
Paying it forward


Dear Renee,
Congrats on winning the Women's Studies Prize at the Honors Convocation today. You rock.
Love,
Yourself

Contest winners!

Hi, friends!! Firstly, thank you all for entering my Pay It Forward and Caption Contests!! It's now time to announce the winners... ::drumroll::

The Caption Contest winner is...
Arielle at Good Things Come to Those Who Whine!

The Pay It Forward Contest winners are...
EP at Stylish Handwriting
Ashley at Our Little Apartment
Michelle at Gooseberried

Congrats everyone. I'd like to send out the prize packages this week (get excited!), so could you please email me asap? thereneeborhood (AT) gmail (DOT) com



As for weekend plans, well, I'm spending a relaxing evening alone, doing nothing. Tomorrow the beau and I are getting up earlyish to hit up the local farmer's market. Sooo excited. I LOVE markets. Then the lovely Becky has organized a field day for the coworkers as a last hurrah. It looks like it might be rained out, but that means Apples to Apples and a Euchre tournament. Badass. And Sunday? Honors Convocation. I've been nominated for the Women's Studies Prize so keep your fingers crossed for me!
How does your weekend look?