For the past several weeks I have been caught up so much in my own excitement and activity with moving that I completely forgot something crucial. I may be moving on to something very exciting, but I am leaving behind something very good. The last three and a half years at GW have been incredible. I have become a completely different person. Perhaps not, perhaps I just view the world in a different way and have become more comfortable with who I am and what I want. One of the things that I have realized is important is living my dreams, not letting things go. And that is why I am going to Japan. No matter what happens I will never be able to look back and regret this.

In the midst of all of this though, I realized how much I am going to miss what I am leaving behind. I have made a few friends, not a lot, but a precious few, who have impacted my life so much that I will never be able to let them go completely. Saying good-bye to Gina tonight broke my heart. I tried to tell her how much she has meant to me, what a good friend she has been, but I can't. I don''t know how to articulate feelings like that, I only hope that she can read my mind. Gina was my roommate my sophmore year, and was such a good friend and roommate to me at a time in my life when I needed both. Until a few hours ago I had forgotten how difficult saying good-bye is. I don't know when I will see Gina again. Perhaps when we both move to Italy with Erin and again live out our dreams. So....

Today is brought to you by the letter G:

G stands for GREAT. Today was great. The last 3.5 years have been great.

G also stands for Gina, because I love that crazy girl.

Today is brought to you by the letter F:

F stands for Fabian Society. Fabian socialism began in Britain in 1883 and had supporters such as George Bernard Shaw and Sidney Webb. The group achieved recognition with the publication of Fabian Essays (1889), with contributions by Shaw, Webb, Annie Besant, and Graham Wallas. The Fabians were opposed to the revolutionary theory of Marxism, holding that social reforms and socialistic “permeation” of existing political institutions would bring about the natural development of socialism. Repudiating the necessity of violent class struggle, they took little notice of trade unionism and other labor movements until Beatrice Potter (who later married Sidney Webb) joined the group. They subsequently helped create (1900) the unified Labour Representation Committee, which evolved into the Labour party. The Labour party adopted their main tenets, and the Fabian Society remains as an affiliated research and publicity agency.

We were discussing the other day how few types of governments or societal structures have been conceived and then implemented by a single person/ group of people/ or in a condensed period of time. Things such as feudalism, monarchy, dictatorships, even democracy all developed over periods of time. I suppose you could claim that democracy was invented and implemented by the Greeks in a relatively short time span, but modern democracy has been developing for hundreds of years (Magna Carta anyone?). Socialism and commuunism were both forms of government that were thought of and implemented in relatively short periods of time, which I think makes them very interesting. (We don't count cults or random experiments of utopia as forms of government, however amusing they may be).

What a way to spend the happiest day of your life: HA HA HA HA!

Today is brought to you by the letter E:

E is for Emu a flightless bird of Australia, related to the cassowary and the ostrich. It is 5 to 6 ft (150-180 cm) tall and a very swift runner. The head and neck are feathered. The six or seven dark green eggs, laid in a sandy pit, are sometimes incubated by the male and require 56 days to hatch ("Honey, I'm going shopping, you stay home and watch the kids-- for 56 days!"). The emu is easily tamed. There is only one living species, Dromiceius novaehollandiae. Emus are classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Aves, order Casuariiformes, family Dromiceidae. (side note: Emu's are apparently quite tasty. I have only eaten their cousin the ostrich, but THIS looks pretty good).

I WILL NEVER EVER EVER LIVE WITH ANOTHER ROOMMATE AGAIN.

An IM Conversation I Had Today With Gina:

Gina: sometimes i read your blog. and i realize that you are insaner than you look :-)
ME: what?
ME: why am I insane?
ME: everything has a perfectly rational explanation
ME: sometimes I just choose not to explain that to the rest of the world
Gina: hahaha you just amuse me with the letter thing
Gina: hahaha
ME: it is my attempt to educate the world
Gina: which is completely legitimate
ME: thank you

I would like to send a message to all telemarketing robots sent back in time to make me buy magazine subscriptions-- I am not interested. Selling me magazines will not prevent the revolution!

Today is brought to you by the letter D:

D is for the Disaster that is California.

D is also for: Divination, which is the practice of foreseeing future events or obtaining secret knowledge through communication with divine sources and through omens, oracles, signs, and portents. It is based on the belief in revelations offered to humans by the gods and in extrarational forms of knowledge; it attempts to make known those things that neither reason nor science can discover. It is known that divination by means of crack patterns in shells was practiced in China as early as the 2d cent. BC In the West, before divination spread throughout the Greco-Roman world, various branches of the practice as used by the Chaldaeans were considered superior to all the sciences. Among those branches the most significant were the study of the flight of birds, the study of water and water patterns, the study of the entrails of sacrificial animals (haruspication), and the inspection of animals' shoulder blades (scapulimancy). The Greeks placed their greatest trust in the wisdom of the oracle . Divination was essential to all the religions of classical antiquity; no state and hardly any individual would have dared undertake a significant action without first consulting the gods. Divination persists to the present day in crystal gazing, palmistry, fortune-telling, and astrology.

Also explained in Harry Potter.

Because I love making lists....

The California Gubernatorial Candidates that most amuse me (and are actually being allowed to run):

- Joel Britton, Independent, is a Retired Meat Packer. I would mock his career, but he is running against the Terminator. I'm not sure which prepares you more for being Governor: being a crazy robot sent back in time with big guns or packing meat.
- Rich Gosse, , is so concerned about the single people being left out that he is going to throw us a party.
- Mary "Mary Carey" Cook not only has enough names to make up for Angelyne's lack of names, but is also an adult File Actress. Lovely.
- Ivan A. Hall is running for the Green Party and is a Custom Denture Manufaturer. I'm really not making this stuff up. I swear.
- Angelyne (only has one name) is an Entertainer (doesn't specify what kind) and is running as an Independent. Maybe she works with "Mary Carey".
- Bruce Margolin, Democrat, is a Marijuana Legalization Attorney. Any guesses as to what his platform is? Anyone? Anyone?
-Robert Cullenbine's platform is Don't Vote for Me! (Why he did he spend $3500 to say that though?)
-Two students are running: Daniel Watts, Green, and Nathan Whitecloud Walton, Independent. Talk about getting an early start. I just hope their careers don't peak to early. It would be very sad if this is the highlight of their careers. Kindof like the 12 year old cult leaders in Thailand.
- Brooke Adams, Independent, lists among her accomplishments being popular, being homecoming queen in high school, being a cheerleader for 4 years, and being her Junior Class Vice-President. I'd vote for the meat packer first.
-Audie Bock I actually like... she wants to bypass the establishment and speaks Japanese.
- My favorite candidate though is definitely Kurt E. "Tachikaze" Rightmyer. He is running as an Independent and is a Middleweight Sumo Wrestler. He can just sit on any Republicans that don't pass his bills. He could set up a sumo stadium in Sacramento to attract tourists and boost California's economy. California is sadly lacking in extensive Sumo facilities, but fear not! Tachikaze will save the day!

Today is brought to you by the Letter C:

C is for California. A state that has gone crazy. A state where anyone can run for Governor.

C is also for Carissa, because, in fact, I am going to run for Governor of California. As a write-in. So if you live in California and are confused by the 275 names on the ballot (some of them not even being American like Arnie's), just write my name at the bottom (no reason to waste time reading all those names). My platform is-- why would you vote for someone who spent $3500 to get their name on a piece of paper? I am concerned about the budget of the state as well as my own personal budget (or lack thereof in both cases). I also have faith in the people, because I believe that you are competent enough to write my name down-- and spell it correctly. Wait, that never happens. Just sound it out.

So come October 7, remember 7 easy letters: C-A-R-I-S-S-A.

THE BEST WAY TO STUDY JAPANESE! Arigatou to Aaron-san.

It's amazing how much I have in common with random people. I was talking to one of the delivery men today and saying that I won't be here the next time he comes to visit because I am leaving and going to teach English in Japan. His daughter studies architecture and was in Tokyo for a fews weeks earlier this summer to study the architecture in Tokyo. I was talking to another delivery guy a few weeks ago and apparently his sister is going to study there for college this next semester. At the beginning of the summer I ran into a guy at Tony and Joe's whose brother's girlfriend is living in Japan teaching English right now. Two of my co-workers have lived in Japan at various points in their lives (one was a kid and one was in college). It really seems to be the popular thing to do.

Another note on randomness: I got an e-mail from someone in Arizona who found my blog from reading Liz's blog and wrote me an e-mail. The world is so small. Speaking of Arizona-- KAT IS BACK!

Today is brought to you by the letter B:

Beccafumi, Domenico di Pace

Beccafumi (1486-1551) was an Italian mannerist painter and sculptor, also called Il Meccherino. He studied painting in Siena and Rome and was a versatile engraver and sculptor. He is best known for his frescoes in the city hall in Siena and for his designs of scenes from the Old Testament for the pavement of Siena Cathedral (1518-46). Among his other works are Holy Family (Pitti Palace, Florence) and some fine sculptural work for the Siena Cathedral. Nativity of the Virgin, Descent into Limbo, and St. Michael (all in Siena) exemplify the peculiar spatial and lighting effects of mannerism. Holy Family with Angels is in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. (and you should all go see it).

I'm telling you, the back of my head seems to get more publicity than the rest of me (not really fair, now is it?). THIS is the third Dean Meet-up at which pictures of the back of my head have been taken and then displayed on the internet. I'm going to try to keep up this trend once I start going to Meet-ups in Reno.

Today is brought to you by the letter A:

The "Avars" were mounted nomad people who in the 4th and 5th cent. dominated the steppes of central Asia. Dislodged by stronger tribes, the Avars pushed west, increasing their formidable army by incorporating conquered peoples into it. Reaching their greatest power in the late 6th cent., they plundered all of present S Russia and the Balkans. Their siege (626) of Constantinople was unsuccessful, but they continued to dominate the Hungarian plain until Charlemagne defeated them. The Avars were not mentioned after the 9th cent. It is doubtful that the modern Avars, a pastoral, Muslim people of the Dagestan Republic, are descended from the original Avars.

Random man that I argued about politics with at a bar in South Africa is now joining Bush's campaign. "Why?" you may ask. I don't know, but here it is.

11-3: Ate lunch, restocked kitchen (which involved putting two bottles of orange juice in the fridge since it was still stocked from earlier), sent a fax, sorted mail.
3-5:30: Dropped off a Fed-Ex (involved walking 100 feet away from my building), planned my parents trip to Japan in July 2004, harrassed people about replying to evite, played freecell... alot.

As a way to get you, the reader, more intuned with my daily life, today I will be giving a frequent update of my day:

7am- Denise yells at me to get out of bed. I respond by hitting the alarm clock again (even though it isn't buzzing)
7:15- I crawl into the shower and curse whoever decided that I should be at work at 8:30.
8:15- Get on the shuttle to the Metro, grab the Express, and wait for an unairconditioned Metro (notice the airconditioning never breaks in the winter) after which I have to take an overly airconditioned very late bus.
9- Get to work
9-11- Drink coffee, check E-mail, continue planning party, drink more coffee, kick copy machine, blog, order office supplies, talk to a guy who sounds like Arnold Schwarzenegger and keeps asking for Arnold (I was tempted to say that he's in California).

I went to another Dean Meet-up last night. It really is amazing how well organized Dean's campaign is. They handed out packets with envelopes, paper, the names of two undecided Democratic Hew Hampshire voters, stamps and an article to include in our letters. Dean's popularity in the polls surged after people wrote letters to Iowa to convince voters there. I imagine that getting a hand written letter is much more likely to sway a voter than a random form letter. It also makes me feel involved (without putting in much of a time committment) which means I will still be feeling involved later on when they need more people (ok, so I might be in Japan, but it will work for everyone else).

Other news: Aaron's going away party (the Seventies Costume Party) was a general success (I believe). He left for Japan and although I've only heard from him once since he left, he sounded like he was having a fabulous time. I love planning parties so I am currently planning my own Bon Voyage Party with an Eighties theme. Making people dress up is a never ending source of amusement. It's amazing to think that it could be years before I visit the east coast again and see my friends out here. I'm so excited about going to Japan and looking forward, that I forget that in moving forward you lose part of what you have at the moment.

Erin and I are going to see Peter Paul and Mary tomorrow night at Wolf Trap. I am very excited about this. My mother always sang their songs to me when I was little, so it will be neat to see them live. Erin has met one of them before, but I can't remember which one. Hopefully it won't rain on our picnic. I AMSOEXCITED!

More news about my name (complements of Mr.N): apparently Carissa is edible (don't get any bright ideas though). Go Here for more info.

Oh,and CALIFORNIA is crazy!

The definition of boredom is: Sending Dear Abby articles to the Washington, DC Mayor's office. Yeah, I need a hobby.

Although I still think that this is a good idea for DC.

THIS journalist forgot one very important part of interns and office parties-- the free food. It makes me question if this journalist was ever actually an intern, because the interns I know will go through some pretty incredible hoops for free food (sneaking into Renewable Energy fairs to get the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream).

I'm going to miss all of the free food when I move to Japan.

Is it because of the high unemployment rate that THESE people have nothing better to do than watch quail mate? I don't think that counts as a real job. And who on earth is funding them? Why do we need to know these things? AHHHHHHHHH.

Oh, and Earthquake (the one from the 70's) is the funniest unintentionally-funny movie ever.

Good news for today: I found a disco ball
Bad news for today: I forgot my umbrella and it is going to rain.

Good thing: Aaron is back in town.
Bad thing: I have to clean my apartment, but...
Good thing: Tomorrow night's party.
Bad thing: Saying good-bye to several friends.
Good thing: Shopping with Erin tonight.
Bad thing: I don't own a cheesy polyester shirt (some would dispute my rating of this... ok, many would dispute it).
Good thing: Eating shrimp wantons from Super H-Mart.
Bad thing: Boredom.
Good thing: A New Project.

(You know it is a good day when you have run out of "Bad things" and have loads "Good Things" left.)

Life is full of randomness. I personally think that it is lovely. I love not knowing what to expect next. What motivation would there be to get out of bed in the morning if I knew what was going to happen? (aside from Denise yelling at me to take a shower) Sometimes I think that the randomness factor has increased as a result of increased global travel, the internet, education, etc. But here is a random link. I'm not sure if I know this person, I think that I don't. And yet she has me linked on her blog under the category "laughing". That is the category I would most like to be placed in. She sounds like a fascinating person, bohemian, and full of life. But the randomness of finding myself on a blog of someone on the other side of the country is bizzare, yet amusing and flattering.