Hi to you from Austin
Woohoo!
Had a lot of fun travels recently, and more to come tomorrow.
I could either reflect on it here, gladly forseeing the time when I can stop and rest awhile. Or I could put on a straight-jacket, find the nearest rocking chair and mutter incessantly, "The earth... won't stop spinning... still moving... still moving..."
Rice, was a great visit, though sadly the weather didn't cooperate and the didn't have the program I was interested in. Still, a good school. I got to walk about with a map, scratching my head every so often mid-sidewalk to find my way -- looking not altogether unlike the freshmen moving in that day. Ahh, good times.
In retrospect, I was impressed that though UT gets tons more money than Rice, Rice without doubt does a better job of using the money and especially getting it to students. Very commendable.
And of course seeing Nadine and Chris and Celeste and Keith was wonderful. Aunt Celeste made the most wonderful chocolate fondue and strawberry shortcake the next night. Yummm!
On Sunday I got to see the traveling exhibit of Lord of the Rings, put on by some New Zealand museum with permission, of course, from New Line Cinema and all those over-worked souls at WETA.
It was so cool! I got to *see* the original props of suits and swords for Aragorn (his suit from the Two Towers), Gandalf, Frodo, Legolas and 2 of Arwen's dresses. I got to see the original "bigature" model of Frodo's vision in Galadriel's pool?
Remember when he looks in the pool of water and see the Hobbiton mill taken over by orcs and hobbitts enslaved there? I got to see that set. It was awesome, incredibly detailed, truly large for a model and yet the plaque said it was only shown on screen for about 2 seconds. TWO SECONDS!
And the fleeting, shimmering shots filtered through Frodo's conscience did the model no justice at all. I can feel a bit of the pain of those fellows, who worked so hard on the shading of a beam or something just to have it never show up at all.
The props were amazing. Elrond's crown was so light and elegant. And his telescope was awesome. It was so astronomical-*looking*... and very Elvish.
Probably my favorite suit was Haldir's. It was leather and light and elegant... and it just looked so wearable. I thought, upon looking at it, "Now there's a suit I could wear in the woods for a good while." And his dagger, and his bow, and his quiver of arrows.... ::sigh::
So a delightful bus ride later (Texas scenery + uncrowded bus + iPod + apple pie = awesome!) I landed in Austin and there Uncle Keith the Other (no offense, but had to clarify) and Aunt Stephanie were there to get me.
UT was way cool. I did get to talk to Dr. Creel, as I mentioned, and despite being a busy and important person, he was extremely nice in talking with an undergrad, for which I was greatly relieved and grateful. I also spoke with a grad admissions counselor and the coordinator for grad anthropology studies. All in all a good day.
And Freddy and Steph and Keith did the nicest job of showing me around Austin. A cool town, I thought.
But, after all that, I am ready to come back to quiet, hicky little Longview. And I don't mean that in a bad way at all. :)
And so I have to wake up in less than 7 hours and get a bus again, for Dallas, then Longview, then Alto, then back to Longview, and then off to whatever missions await me under the painful whip of Chad Melton. ;)
See you around, and remember, bananas are good, ice cream is good, but don't mix them into a banana split.
Had a lot of fun travels recently, and more to come tomorrow.
I could either reflect on it here, gladly forseeing the time when I can stop and rest awhile. Or I could put on a straight-jacket, find the nearest rocking chair and mutter incessantly, "The earth... won't stop spinning... still moving... still moving..."
Rice, was a great visit, though sadly the weather didn't cooperate and the didn't have the program I was interested in. Still, a good school. I got to walk about with a map, scratching my head every so often mid-sidewalk to find my way -- looking not altogether unlike the freshmen moving in that day. Ahh, good times.
In retrospect, I was impressed that though UT gets tons more money than Rice, Rice without doubt does a better job of using the money and especially getting it to students. Very commendable.
And of course seeing Nadine and Chris and Celeste and Keith was wonderful. Aunt Celeste made the most wonderful chocolate fondue and strawberry shortcake the next night. Yummm!
On Sunday I got to see the traveling exhibit of Lord of the Rings, put on by some New Zealand museum with permission, of course, from New Line Cinema and all those over-worked souls at WETA.
It was so cool! I got to *see* the original props of suits and swords for Aragorn (his suit from the Two Towers), Gandalf, Frodo, Legolas and 2 of Arwen's dresses. I got to see the original "bigature" model of Frodo's vision in Galadriel's pool?
Remember when he looks in the pool of water and see the Hobbiton mill taken over by orcs and hobbitts enslaved there? I got to see that set. It was awesome, incredibly detailed, truly large for a model and yet the plaque said it was only shown on screen for about 2 seconds. TWO SECONDS!
And the fleeting, shimmering shots filtered through Frodo's conscience did the model no justice at all. I can feel a bit of the pain of those fellows, who worked so hard on the shading of a beam or something just to have it never show up at all.
The props were amazing. Elrond's crown was so light and elegant. And his telescope was awesome. It was so astronomical-*looking*... and very Elvish.
Probably my favorite suit was Haldir's. It was leather and light and elegant... and it just looked so wearable. I thought, upon looking at it, "Now there's a suit I could wear in the woods for a good while." And his dagger, and his bow, and his quiver of arrows.... ::sigh::
So a delightful bus ride later (Texas scenery + uncrowded bus + iPod + apple pie = awesome!) I landed in Austin and there Uncle Keith the Other (no offense, but had to clarify) and Aunt Stephanie were there to get me.
UT was way cool. I did get to talk to Dr. Creel, as I mentioned, and despite being a busy and important person, he was extremely nice in talking with an undergrad, for which I was greatly relieved and grateful. I also spoke with a grad admissions counselor and the coordinator for grad anthropology studies. All in all a good day.
And Freddy and Steph and Keith did the nicest job of showing me around Austin. A cool town, I thought.
But, after all that, I am ready to come back to quiet, hicky little Longview. And I don't mean that in a bad way at all. :)
And so I have to wake up in less than 7 hours and get a bus again, for Dallas, then Longview, then Alto, then back to Longview, and then off to whatever missions await me under the painful whip of Chad Melton. ;)
See you around, and remember, bananas are good, ice cream is good, but don't mix them into a banana split.
the lord of the rings stuff sounds awesome.
it's not awesome that you're going straight back to longview. you better come down here to nac!
Lol on Haldir's suit, I mean, its sWEET that you got to see it and it's comfy and all, but I'll never get over how Amy cheered when he died the first time we saw Two Towers.
And I respectfully disagree on the whole banana spit thing: not only are they are *especially* tasty, but 'calcium' and 'potassium' rhyme!!!
*sigh* seriously.
PS. I agree about banana splits.
And you are completely wrong about banana splits. Perhaps I will force you to eat one while you are in that straight jacket of your's, then maybe you will see the light.