Disconnected Points

(photo by vaibhav bajpai )

a. You Spin Me Right Round Baby, Right Round Like A Record Baby. Right Round Round Round.

b. I joined (rather, was elected) to be Activities Coordinator for the graduate student association. (GSA). It's interesting and crazy and awesome that I'm involved with student gov't again (takin' it back to the CES days, what what!).  Karin & I get to plan and implement all activities for the graduate students - starting with a meeting area / lounge makeover. And pumpkin carving, of course! 

c. Jacobs University = "flows of information", "data collection/sampling" "visual rhetoric and framing in comparative communication" taking over: presentation, paper, GSA meeting, paper, outline, event, paper, lounge renovation, rest, rejuvenate, go!

d. Articles on the CNN effect are taking over 16 windows in my browser. 

e. Illustrators can be authors. Tomorrow a PhD candidate is sharing her dissertation on her creation of a framework that allows illustrators to play more intrinsic roles in the creative processes of children's books, i.e. participatory comic books and active participation of text to images in story-telling formats. I'm really looking forward to this. 

F**K!! I ordered new Miz Mooz boots! AH! Excited to be red-united (and it feels so good)! (thank you Lauren Frieband)

GREEN: I found CHARD today at the Farmer's Market!! Immediate brightening up of my day!

H. I have not had a proper cocktail in what seems like forever. This weekend necessitates one, fosh.

I. rode the ferris wheel, not once, but twice this week. It was magical being suspended in the chilly air, high atop the mist and lights of Bremen's Friemarkt (fair). 

J. I just am loving the strict and structured nature of German bureaucractic operations. psyche.

Venn Dia-Damn

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.hanselman.com/blog/content/binary/WindowsLiveWriter/2dc61d7e4a66_13443/image.png&imgrefurl=http://www.hanselman.com/blog/default.aspx%3Fmonth%3D2007-07&usg=__cVrJGEaxLwiSvYVJjk2hdHv5ZZY=&h=271&w=300&sz=35&hl=en&start=100&zoom=1&tbnid=UH3hdJgZJzIPIM:&tbnh=167&tbnw=185&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dimage%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1220%26bih%3D680%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C3391&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=284&vpy=386&dur=405&hovh=199&hovw=220&tx=57&ty=179&ei=xGXDTLT0GYeLswaNkYDdCA&oei=v2XDTIOpC4mztAapm7iIDA&esq=2&page=7&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:11,s:100&biw=1220&bih=680 

This goes out to all my California Lovers...

A poem, inspired by songs about California:

Mama, Papa

I need a Red Hot Chili Pepper

to spice up my Meat Loaf

All I Wanna Do

from Under the Bridge

is look up at the California Stars

And Free-fall into Lost Angeles 

Wikipedia - List_of_songs_about_California

This is how life feels right now: 

(Alan Shear_C108_Orangey)

What I mean by that is that it is a wild portrait of overlapping complicated, emotional and beautiful experiences.

School has been very hectic - I am starting to do really interesting research projects and study fascinating topics in my classes. For instance, just today I: 

• Studied the importance of focus groups in research methods and actually did a mini- focus group demonstration in class, the issue being "compliments" and their significance in relationships 
• Began research on Google Doodles and how they help shape Google's fluid corporate visual identity
• Studied the significance of news framing in photographic coverage of the Iraq War in major British vs. U.S. newspapers. 

On top of that, I am helping plan a year's worth of graduate activities that include:

• A visit to a concentration camp
• Monthly "Drink Around the World" Happy Hours (celebrating a different country each time)
• Wine and Jazz night. 

I am feeling a bit homesick, particularly because my mom is in the hospital right now recovering from chemo-induced weaknesses on her respiratory system. It's been difficult to be far away from home, despite my many wonderful adventures in Europe, so far. Please keep my mom in your thoughts and send her your warm, wonderful recovery energy so that she can bounce back, better than ever, and eventually visit me here in beautiful Bremen. 

AmsterDAMNNNN Gina!

I went to Amsterdam for the first time. I loved it so much that I wrote it a haiku:

Gables of freedom

Lively red and green sparkles

Riding history

Next post I'll tell you allll about it.