Pierogi...Alas, I am caught up on my sleep and I am back at it. I did not get some of my papers in on time to my professors on Monday so I am trying to finish the rest right now. I probably should have turned them in already today but by this point I am just trying to aim for quality completion.
I realized today that I leave in three weeks for Ecuador. This seems really unreal. What's going to seem even more unreal with be the actual day -- March 24 -- that I actually do leave to Ecuador. I still have a various list of items that I need to realize still but it's getting closer. I still need to find out about malaria pills, complete some formalized membership canceling (cancel my cable service, clean out my locker at the gym, etc.), get my belongings together, read a book and write a report for my field study, read two books (or at least get started) and plan my independent study, purchase an external hard drive, and get well acquainted with my portable digital recorder.
Because I have been so busy, I have forgotten to mention that my Nagra ARES-MII came in the mail this past Friday! I am really excited about it all. It came well equipped with a USB 2.0 input cord, a shock-resistant stereo (cardioid) condenser microphone, a mono (omni) condenser cap, two wind guards, a XLR adaptable input cord, a protective case, and a cool wrist sling. I have used it already just minimally but it sounds great. Also, my 10' mono hydrophone came in the mail on Friday too. This is basically a microphone that can record SPL movements underwater. This will be especially useful when I am collecting data from some of the Ecuadorian water sheds -- rivers, streams, waterfalls, etc. I am so excited!
Today has been a pretty good day, all in all. Caitlin and I went to vegan cooking and it was delicious. It was great to hang out with Larry and Annie too. I feel like the setup for vegan cooking is not fair sometimes, because I feel like sitting down and talking with a lot of people. I really wanted to hang out and talk to Leslie, Jamie, Ellen, and Clare but the seating was all cramped and space is just limited in that room. The food, though, was great. It was all Ukrainian style food -- pierogi (mashed potatoes inside a noodle-like shell), salad, rice-stuffed cabbage wraps, this really great beet-based soup, a delicious dessert (I don't remember what it was), and a neat lavender-tasting drink. I got a picture of the cooks making the pierogies in the kitchen (above) before they were done.
Great day!
