Random Ramblings

I just posted up a new song to Home of the Pocket Bard, called The LAC Italy Trip 2005 Drinking Song. Which is more or less exactly what it is. I wrote it back in 2005, just after graduating with my B.A., when I was in Italy with a bunch of people from the Liberal Arts College at Concordia.

An anecdote about this song. Based as it is after "The Old Dun Cow," there's a call and response line. (Call: "Somebody shouted out 'Lenore!'" Response: "Lenore!") I was once singing this song at a restaurant where our whole group of about 25 people were having dinner, and a waiter walked into the room just as everyone shouted "Lenore!" I swear that guy nearly had a heart attack. I've never seen a waiter so startled.

Ah, good times in Italy...

Today's breadcrumb is about Jacob's desire to continually place the younger son before the elder.

Yesterday was pretty good, all things considered. I went to karate, which is always good. We nearly had a very difficult class, as the lowest belts there were orange, but at the last minute a brand-new white belt came in and spared us the rigors of an advanced-level workout. Phew. I also somehow managed to bruise my foot, trying to do a move that I don't really know how to do yet. Le sigh.

In other news, I've been taking advantage of my newfound LJ storage space to begin uploading my pictures from the Europe trip. I've got about 9 days (out of the 6 weeks total) uploaded so far, but I'm waiting until I've got them all done before I link to them.

Today: some brief lesson planning (I've actually got 2 lessons pre-planned for this class, so it's just a matter of printing things out), continue uploading pictures and userpics, teaching, SCA moot tonight. TTFN!

I'm beginning to finally be able to code and post my journal entries from Europe. So far I've got entries for May 6 and 7 online, complete with pictures. You can see them at http://www.geocities.com/yourstruly/europe.html

Stay tuned: I will announce more updates as they become available.

I've been taking advantage of a day at home on my computer to go through my Europe pictures. Specifically, I've been resizing them, turning the ones that need turning, fixing up the brightness / contrast on the ones that need THAT, and putting them online with captions. So far, I've got until May 26th online (21 days), and up to June 3rd (another 8 days) primed and ready to upload. (Though, in fairness, uploading takes almost as much time as prepping them.)

For those who want a sneak peak, you can see what I've got online so far at Thehillfort.com, click on "Julie's Crazy European Adventure." The page is hosted by the ever-wonder crazyroman. Thanks, Roman!

More pictures will be added in the upcoming days. I'm going to upload more today, probably. I'm hoping to have it all up by the end of the week, but that may not happen.

Remember, I've still got my whole journal to type and upload! These are just the pictures!

Hi everyone!

Honey, I'm home! Safe and sound in my room, using my own computer, slept in my own bed last night... bliss! I've started making a dent in the HUGE hug deficit that I need to make up: I expect everyone reading this to help me!

So, that's it. I should have sent this last night, but I was dead tired. I hope no one was too worried! Jetlag hit this morning at 5 am (that's 11 am Europe time!) and I figured I might as well do something productive about it, so I'm on my computer and listening to my new Heather Dale CD. (MUSIC!!! Sweet, sweet music!)

The trip was great, but I am very happy to be home.

As promised, I'll send ONE MORE update when my web page is finally ready.

Hugs everyone! (Call me if you're in Montreal and want them in person!)
Julie

Greetings, oh my faithful readers!

( Strasbourg, an unexpected gem of a city )

( Plans for the next two days )

I'll probably send one more email / LJ from Europe (from Munich, Monday), and one when I get home letting everyone know I'm back home and safe. And ONE more when I finally get the web site up and running with my diary and pictures on it, so you can read about my trip in FAR more detail than you ever wanted to. (Seriously. WAY too much detail!)

That's it, pretty much. I shall send many hugs now and hope to have them all confirmed in person in the near future. I haven't planned anything official in terms of a "welcome-back" party, but if someone wants to host one for me, I'll show up. Any night but Tuesdays or this week Saturday (ie: the 25th) is okay. Otherwise, I'll let you know when I've got something planned.

HUGS and more HUGS!
Julie, counting down to hours now (54, incidentally)

"Julie," I hear my masses of devoted readers calling out from across the Atlantic, "where the hell have you BEEN for the past three days? We need NEWS! We're not doing anything interesting and need to live vicariously through you!"

Well, devoted readers, I shall not disappoint!

Since Monday night I have been in the Alps. Specifically, I have been in Chamonix. And I have just three words: oh. my. God.

( More about the Alps )

Anyway, that's what I've been up to. Thanks to every who sent hugs after the last update: I appreciate them. There will probably only be one or two updates before I get home.

Hugs and more hugs! (Yeah, I like hugs. What'cha gonna do about it?)
Julie the mountain-lover

Hello all my faithful readers!

I have spent much of the time since I last wrote in Carcassonne, a completely-preserved medieval walled city. (The rest of the time, incidentally, was spent on trains.) Thankfully, nothing exciting has happened to me since I last wrote, so this will be a fairly tame update. No day-name, though I suppose if I had to name it something, I'd call it "Medieval Magic Day."

( What I did in Carcassonne and where I am now )

That's about it for now. I'm sure you're happy you didn't have to read another epic-length update from me, for once. :)

Hugs to everyone! Soon I shall be home and be able to tell you all about my exploits in person! (Remember, June 20th is the magic day of my homecoming.) Hugs and more hugs!
Julie

Hi everyone!

I meant to write late night but couldn't, so here I am in Sarlat in the Dordogne Valley. My time in the Loire was overall great, except for last night which I have named The Night of Hellish Obnoxiousness (tm). I shall deal with it in its proper place. For those who are concerned: don't worry! I am fine, all my stuff is fine, and everything worked out in the end. It was just 3.5 hours of obnoxiousness.

Before I start, just a piece of advice for anyone traveling overseas: never believe people at internet cafes when they tell you they have no English-layout keyboards. A lot of these places let you access the control panels, and if they do, you can add the English layout to the keyboard in less than 30 seconds. I am now typing much faster on an English keyboard that is not supposed to exist. So there! (Of course, this only works if you're a touch-typist that doesn't need to look at the letters on the keyboard.)

( Friday night and Saturday: Chenonceau and Close Luce )

( Sunday: Blois, almost-Chambord, and Cheverny )

( Sunday night: The Night of Hellish Obnoxiousness (tm) )

( Today and plans for tomorrow )

So... that's what I've been up to. As always, I love receiving emails, so please send them!

For those who have asked, I'm coming back Monday, June 20th in the evening. I start work the following Monday, and am going to attempt to day-trip to a local SCA even on the Saturday in between. Otherwise my time is mostly free (so far!).

Hugs and love from abroad,
Julie

( A slightly shorter update than my last ones: Rouen and Bayeux. )
Anyway, I'm feeling very re-energized after my time in Bayeux. It's great to finally be with a group of other travellers who can give me pointers or are in the same situations I am. Yay!

And now, to do a bit more planning for the next stage of my journey. Keep those emails coming, people! I love getting 'em!

Hugs,
Julie