columbia: treaty of paris, ha ha tonka, and the first week of school

nothing like a show on a thursday night to shape up my first week of classes. roman candle, treaty of paris, and ha ha tonka. even though i got there a good while after doors opened, i still seemed to be one of the first people there. so chris kept me company for a while and we discussed their soon-to-be recording session. (can't wait for a new treaty album!) and once again, just when i think i have to go to a show alone, molly and her friend rachel showed up. love those girls. roman candle opened, and although i'd never heard of them before, i really enjoyed their set. they reminded me a lot of the format, which is ALWAYS a good thing. then sam tweeted me that fun (basically a regrouping of the format, in simple terms) has a song called light a roman candle with me. weeeeeird coincidence. but anyway, i digress. treaty was up next, and they put on a fantastic show. it was my first time seeing them in a real venue, so that was cool. my treaty virginity was taken at wicker park fest; quite the different atmosphere. so the three of us sang along, danced and laughed at nick who was making ridiculous faces at us the whole time. ha ha tonka played last and HOLY CRAP do they kick some serious ass. i'll be honest - i bought their album a while back and just couldn't get into it... too folksy, a little bit too far on the side of country. but hearing them live was another story. four part harmonies that make your brain want to explode and your heart melt. it was pretty sweet. i intended to duck out fairly quickly, but got sucked into a lengthy and somewhat drunk conversation with nick. that was interesting to say the least, what a flirt. so after a good half hour of discussing college and cats with mr. fonzi, i finally made my goodbyes and after lots of hubbub about the ha ha tonka after party... i headed home. great way to wrap up the ending of week one.

speaking of week one...

it was quite successful if i do say so myself. classes are great, i actually enjoy most of them. and i feel like i'm headed in a direction of some sort with a major declared this year, which is an encouraging feeling - i'm taking writing about literature, french two, intermediate creative non-fiction, and writing intensive peace studies. i'm barely even into the school groove yet and i can already tell this year is going to be a million times better than last. i've complained about it before and most of you who read this already know; dorm life wasn't for me. i'm an only child; i never learned to share my room, my food, my belongings. i was quite uncomfortable with both roommate number one AND two, and i just couldn't catch a break from any of it. but i'll leave it at that. no need to dwell in the past. the present is what (dare i say it) has a hint of a smile on my face. yes, it's only been a week, and yes it's still technically summer, but i'm HAPPY. such a simple statement, but an absolutely huge one for me. i haven't been this happy during school in a very long time, if ever. i don't want to raise my expectations too high though. saying that winter leaves me depressed, and that i am most likely a victim of seasonal affective disorder, is quite the understatement. but hopefully this winter won't be as bad as the past few. this place actually feels like home, and i'm hoping it will take care of me when the cold comes around and tries to ravage my mind.

i was at a really low point last year, and was almost on the verge of just dropping out, or at least staying at home to finish school. mizzou is huge and to be honest, isn't the place for me. summer gave me time to clear my head and think though, and i now have some pretty focused ideas in mind for the future. good friends and good music have placed me in the midst of a fantastic job opportunity if circumstances will eventually allow. we'll see where everyone's at in three years when i get around to graduating though. i wouldn't dare speak too soon. as for how an english degree pertains to it all... well it doesn't really. but i like reading and writing, and a college degree is of utmost importance to me, so the english degree will be great cushion if life leads me in another direction in the next few years. i had some very thought-provoking conversations with a friend before moving back to columbia; about both staying in school and taking time off, and about moving here and there, about touring with one band or another, working here or there, in this coffee shop or the other one, writing this or that... on and on and on... you get the point. and while i think i'm finally coming around and breaking out of my obsessive-compulsive, perfectionist shell, it's still a work in progress and i'm hoping the journey through this semester and the next, will continue to point me in the direction best fit for me.