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[02 Jun 2005|07:56pm] |
For those of you who don't know, I am currently riding my bike across America to benefit Habitat for Humanity. We started last Saturday in New Haven and will finish on August 31st by crossing the golden gate bridge in San Francisco. It definitely isn't easy...but I have heard that after two weeks your body adapts. I will have very limited internet access but phone calls are always welcome.
Right now I'm in Hazleton, PA. I'm not actually sure where it is, but it is near a lot of really steep hills.
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[12 Apr 2005|07:29pm] |
Somehow I don't think this worked very well for me, but it's pretty funny anyways.
Rachel Marie Speight's Aliases
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Your movie star name: Almonds Garland
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Your fashion designer name is Rachel Berlin
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Your socialite name is Pachums New York
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Your fly girl / guy name is R Spe
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Your detective name is Turtle The High School For The Performing And Visual Arts
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Your barfly name is Pumpkin Seeds Margarita
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Your soap opera name is Marie Trail Hollow
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Your rock star name is Take 5 Cheetah
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Your star wars name is Raccri Speerr
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Your punk rock band name is The Relaxed Obelisk
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[10 Feb 2005|11:05am] |
I haven't been sleeping well lately because of the massive renovation project going on across the street from my bedroom. Usually they start around 7 AM and wake me up. Technically I get up at 8:30, but I never really sleep past 7. That's not enough! They even work on Saturdays.
This morning when I woke up to my alarm, I realized they hadn't started yet for some reason. So I set my alarm and decided to sleep through my first two classes. It was bliss!
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[30 Jan 2005|12:23am] |
Tonight was the benefit for Habitat for Humanity that I helped organize. It went off pretty well...I don't think we raised a ton of money (and I had to jab the donation box under the noses of several people who tried to sneak in) but enough people came to fill the Branford common room. The performances were pretty fun, too. New Blue performed.
Speaking of New Blue, our recording is starting soon. I think we're putting two of my arrangments on the CD, of "These Boots are Made for Walking" and "Fire and Rain." That should be really fun. In some ways I'm ready to live without the commitment of a cappella, but in other ways I feel like I'm just starting to grow into the group. Being section leader has been fun and made me feel more integral to the group, I am increasingly comfortable as a soloist, and I love the girls more and more. It's sad to think that I've had my last tour with them.
There was other drama with me being sick last week. I think several of my fun childhood illnesses (asthma and chronic sinus infections) are returning. Clearly the answer is to develop a totally new respiratory system, gills or something similar. I really should have majored in engineering.
Oh yeah, I'm thinking of going to law school. I'll probably still stay on the get-my-Ph.D-and-try-to-become-a-professor track, but it's nice to know that I have other options in case I turn out not to be that great at it or just don't like it as much as I thought I would. I would want to be a copyright lawyer...kind of like my dad, although he does patents, trademarks and trade secrets and not so much copyrights. Ack, I can't believe I have to worry about the rest of my life right now.
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[22 Jan 2005|02:38pm] |
I'm trying to raise money for a charity bike ride I'm participating in this summer. Feel free to support me! Anything helps. Leave a comment and I'll send you my address.
Here's the letter I'm sending to all of my parents' friends:
January 22, 2005
It’s hard to believe that I’m in my junior year with only a short time left at Yale! My current goal is to become a professor of music history, so I’ve been working towards my B.A. in music here at Yale and trying to figure out exactly how to get into grad school. I’ve also been thinking a lot about this summer. As you’ve probably heard from my parents, I will be spending nine weeks cycling from New Haven to San Francisco to benefit Habitat for Humanity, as a rider on the Habitat Bicycle Challenge.
HBC runs three cross-country rides. I will be a part of a team of 30 college students and recent graduates, biking from New Haven to San Francisco to raise money and awareness for Habitat for Humanity. Meanwhile, two other groups of 30 will be riding from New Haven to Seattle and Portland, OR. The trip is a benefit ride for Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven, and each rider raises a minimum of $4,000, for a grand total of over $250,000. While I am working on fundraising initiatives such as a benefit concert, I am writing to ask that you support me and Habitat for Humanity with a tax-deductible contribution.
The importance of individual contributions cannot be overemphasized. Every little bit helps—each dollar symbolically puts me one mile closer to San Francisco and, more importantly goes towards the construction of housing in the New Haven area. For a donation of $50 or more, your will receive a Habitat for Humanity T-shirt.
As part of my partnership with Habitat, I have already begun working to help generate publicity for the trip and to help build the houses financed by last year's Bicycle Challenge. The costs of the trip are covered largely by grants from foundations and corporations, so that each dollar you donate will help to underwrite the construction costs of the Collegiate Build. The Collegiate Build organizes, funds, and constructs Habitat houses completely through the efforts of college students in the Yale and New Haven area. The $250,000 that we raise will underwrite the construction of four new homes in New Haven. According the Habitat for Humanity model, each of these homes will go to a low-income family that contributes 400 hours of “sweat equity” and receives a low interest loan from Habitat. Loan payments go towards the construction of more homes, and contribute to the development of strong communities with decent and affordable housing for all.
While on the road we will meet with members of the communities we travel through, tell them about our trip and HFH, and help them become involved. We will spend just six days out of the saddle during our summer odyssey, and on three of these we will trade our handlebars for hammers, and work on Habitat build-sites across the USA. We will also raise money for local Habitat affiliates along our route by encouraging sponsored riders to join us for a day.
I am extremely excited to be devoting my summer to a worthy cause and a wonderful adventure. This is a unique opportunity for me to give back to the New Haven community, and I want you to be a part this project. I hope that everything is going well for you and thank you in advance for your support.
Best regards,
Rachel Speight
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[16 Jan 2005|03:34pm] |
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I really miss Rich...meh.
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[09 Jan 2005|09:57pm] |
I'm looking at courses for this semester. I hope they'll let me audit the German class....hmmm...
I miss Rich terribly and I have this unpleasant malaise thing going.
Blech.
Other class possibilities for those interested:
Music history
Stravinsky
Linguistics (either speech science, neuroling, or Hittite)
a science class???
audit German (hopefully)
Whee, I hate how busy shopping period is. Everybody wish me luck trying to remember German.
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[25 Dec 2004|10:19am] |
I forgot to mention last time:
For Christmas, my parents treated me to a spa day, which I had never experienced before. I got a facial, a mani/pedi, a body wrap, and a massage. Everything was so relaxing. I was there all afternoon, and in between treatments I got glasses of water and wine and stuff. I think the facial was my favorite, in part because the chair was the most comfortable thing I've ever sat in. The body wrap was very relaxing, but the seaweed goo was kind of stinky. First, they slather you with this stuff, then wrap you in cloth and plastic, then wrap you in heated blankets and leave you for about 20 minutes. I took a very nice nap, and it was so cozy. Although it was a little less comfortable in some parts than the massage and facial, I think the wrap was the most addictive treatment. My family is going to a hotel and spa in San Antonio and I am very tempted by the avocado-lime body wrap, but there's no justification for my getting it. I really enjoyed the spa day, but I think I've created a bit of a monster. Now I'm going to want massages and facials and body wraps all the time! At least my skin is very smooth right now....
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[24 Dec 2004|12:12pm] |
Why???
It's actually snowing. For the first time in about five years, I think. Didn't I come to Houston to get AWAY from the cold?
News from me:
-Rich and I successfully completed our road trip from New Haven to Houston. The weather was great. We stayed first with his friend in Durham, NC. Then we drove through the Appalachians to Nashville and stayed with my cousin and her fiance (sp??). They are really cute southern types, the boyfriend is crazy about Nashville and all of its country music offerings, so he took us on a driving tour of what he considers to be the music capital of the world and then actually took us to a honky-tonk bar. Now I know what honky-tonk is. I made my country music debut when the band pulled me up onstage to sing the last verse of "I've Got Friends in Low Places." Apparently, the band does this whenever my cousin and her boyfriend bring a friend to see them play. The next night, we stayed in New Orleans and pretty much stuffed ourselves on cajun food, then went across the street to Cafe Du Monde for chickory coffee and beignets. I had never been there before, but my dad, who used to live in New Orleans, brings up the cafe about once a week, so I'm glad I went. Mmmm.
-I actually got a decent grade in the class that I thought was going to keep me out of grad school. Still waiting on Unlce Bob's grade, though.
-It's f***ing snowing.
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[31 Oct 2004|10:41am] |
We had our big Halloween night last night. I went out as a zebra, but unfortunately Rich isn't in town right now. He is in Ohio campaigning for Kerry, which we both admit is a lost cause, but I support his efforts.
Things have been pretty good lately. My parents were in last weekend, and I'm looking forward to spending some time with them at home. I might even skip the Yale-Harvard game and try to go back early.
Classes have been kind of a struggle, and I'm nervous that that will hurt my chances of grad school, but I might be able to pull things together by the end of the semester.
Rich and I have been doing really well, and it's sad that he's leaving New Haven in just a few weeks. He's already been showing the apartment. I'm worried that the first week back at Yale without him will really suck.
Ok, I'm boring, but that's life.
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[08 Sep 2004|02:20pm] |
I just decided to drop my German lit class, which makes me sad. I feel like I broke up with the professor.
If I'm this sad about it, should I be doing it at all? I think it would have been too much on top of everything else I'm doing this semester, plus Rich coming. But I'm really bummed right now.
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[31 Aug 2004|06:24pm] |
Well, things have been interesting so far. I'm close to reaching an agreement on an apartment for Rich (after MUCH drama) and I had my Schola audition today. It went well for the most part, but I kind of crapped out on the sightreading. I'm really really hoping to get back in. Actually, I'm not sure what I'll do if I don't. Maybe go abroad? Definitely be devastated for a while.
Classes start tomorrow. I don't feel like I'm ready to deal with that yet. So much to do! Gar.
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[22 Aug 2004|12:02pm] |
I'm doing a lot better now. Rich and I have been talking a lot, so we're still in very close contact, but the initial pain of being apart is starting to subside. I've also started to have a lot more fun on retreat. I've laughed a lot, and that made me realize how little time I spent in large groups of people this summer. I'm really looking forward to getting into New Haven on Tuesday night and seeing Errol and Ilya. I've missed all of my "suitemates."
I'm going to make an attempt at running now, since the weather is pretty cool.
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[20 Aug 2004|02:21pm] |
I'm on retreat in NJ with New Blue now. I miss Rich SO MUCH. We spent the bulk of the last few days before I left together, even after the trip we went on. My dad had to take me to the airport 2.5 hours early since he was leaving on a flight the same morning, and Rich came to keep me company until my plane left. It was really really sweet. I got to talk to him on the phone last night, and we both started crying. I think I'm still in denial about the fact that I most likely will not see him or feel his touch for a very long time, if ever again. But Rich hasn't counted out the possibility of spending some time in the Northeast this fall, and in a few weeks when we've each had some time to adjust to being apart we'll see whether that's worth checking out. At this point I can't help thinking that I wish I were looking forward to helping him move in to his New Haven sublet rather than trying to get used to living without him. I'm really a big mess and there's no one to talk to about it here. I would have thought that the New Blue girls would be a big comfort, but so far I haven't felt comfortable talking about it with them. I really feel like jumping on a plane back to Houston right now. It's awful.
Oh, also I might not have voice mail on my phone for a while. It's a long story, but just know that if you want to reach me you'll have to keep calling back.
Meh, I'm lonely and sad.
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[17 Aug 2004|11:38pm] |
Just got back from the trip. Whee! It was so much fun. The drives, both in and out, were nice and relatively traffic-free, the hotel room was not opulent but definitely satisfactory. Schlitterbahn was a lot of fun! Only half of the park was open since it's off season, but off season also meant discount prices and very short lines. Rich and I used the money we saved from the discount to ride the "Skycoaster," one of those giant human pendulum rides that is like baby bungee jumping. I actually did that once before, but it was maybe 8 or 9 years ago, so I was really really nervous when we got into the harnesses. Once we started going up, though, I tried really hard to concentrate on how beautiful the scenery was (we had a view of the whole town, plus several rivers and, yes, the waterpark and adjacent parking lots) and the fact that the ride was a fun and safe experience and not some sort of sadomasochistic death trap. However, the first second of the drop before the harness kicked in was terrifying. But...we had so much fun we did it again ten minutes later.
After that we had lunch in Gruene and looked around the shops a little bit, then headed to Austin to visit Rich's friends Matt and Sarah, whom I had met once before. We had fun visiting and playing frisbee, but I wanted to get back in time to pack tomorrow (gack), so we shipped out around 8.
And here we are!
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[16 Aug 2004|11:49am] |
Yay, Rich and I are going on our trip in a few hours. The trip was in jeopardy after Rich experienced intense mouth pain for three days. He went into the doctor this morning and had his dry socket patched up, so we're good to go.
The plan is to drive down to New Braunfels, stopping in Schulenberg on the way to pick up yummy kolaches and lunch if we're hungry. Then we'll probably relax for the rest of the evening, or maybe go over to Gruene, which is a popular tourist destinations but really just a bunch of antique stores and restaurants. Then tomorrow we'll get up and go to Schlitterbahn, which is a waterpark with two locations, both in Texas.
Right now, I'm waiting for Rich to finish watching Manhunter so he can turn it in on time. He loves to rent VHS movies from this place in town. The upshot is that they only cost $1 to rent, but unfortunately they're due two days later at 10 AM and, well, they're on VHS. As a result, I've spent a lot of time on his exercise room floor since the only rooms in his house with VCRs are that, his parents' room, and his dad's office.
But I'm thinking of subscribing to Netflix because, although I've seen a LOT of new movies this summer, I'm still woefully ill-watched (like well-read? hmn.) The only question is whether I have the time to justify the monthly fee. I would definitely like the selection offered by Netflix. Blockbuster just doesn't cut it sometimes.
Or maybe I'll just join the Yale Film Society. Gah. I wish I had about twice as much time; then I could do all these things I want to do.
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[14 Aug 2004|07:14pm] |
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I got a new cell phone! I have no idea how to use it.
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[13 Aug 2004|12:50pm] |
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Well, Rich and I are officially going to New Braunfels next week! We made the hotel reservation today. I'm so excited that we'll be able to wrap up the summer with a nice little trip. The plan is to drive down on Monday, relax, get up on Tuesday, go to Schlitterbahn waterpark, and then go home. I wonder what we could do Monday afternoon/evening. Maybe go to San Antonio? Hmm.
I also need to figure out the exact address of this hotel we're staying at so I can get driving directions.
Whee!
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[10 Aug 2004|06:11pm] |
Very busy day today. I got up at 10, which was when I had set my alarm for due to the fact that I was out late last night watching Collateral with Rich. The movie was pretty cool, by the way, I'd say about the same quality as The Village. I decided to get myself some kolaches for breakfast, and then I had my final piano lesson with Alan. I feel like I've made some progress on the piano this summer, although his teaching style is definitely different from what I'm used to.
Then, I went to Rich's house to nurse him after his wisdom teeth surgery this morning. He was still pretty knocked out from the anesthesia, so I just snuggled with him and made sure he was icing his mouth properly.
I left in time to drive home, change, and go to the gym, and then I picked up my mom at school. It's her birthday today (I think she's 47? Maybe 48, but we'll go with 47), so we're all going out to dinner in a few hours.
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[09 Aug 2004|02:59pm] |
I've been reading the Bridget Jones' Diary books, which are very fun for girls by the way, and I've noticed that I'm starting to think in Brit-talk. Actually, I've noticed before that I tend to adopt the linguistic mannerisms of whatever I'm reading--I'm particularly insufferable when reading anything with a lot of archaic language, like Tolkein. I remember even at as a young Roald Dahl fan being marked down for my spelling of the word "colour" in a school paper.
Anyways, it's all I can do to avoid saying things like "I'll ring you later" and "Should we meet at your flat?"
I am still housebound. Aaaa. Must obtain car tomorrow, even if it does mean having to wake up early to drop mom off at work.
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