Long Week

Okay, so it's been like a week and it's been a very long, very exhausting week so try to stay with me. Saturday was another day of orientation stuff. Brunch, conduct guide stuff, pizza for lunch, then we went over course syllabi and then we went to the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art). It was a really boring day, but the MOMA does have Starry Night by Van Gogh and Les Demoiselles d'Avignon by Picasso. They have several Picasso's actually. And a reconstruction of dinosaur bones. I also got to hear Rachael chew out the Wedding Shoppe because they screwed up her dress. Oh, and I met Daniel on Sunday. He's super cool. He actually used the phrase, "What's up mother fuckers" when describing Gary Schmidt, so he'll be fun.

Sunday we went to All Angels Church after stopping for bagels and then we went to the Museum of Art and Design and they had 2 floors devoted entirely to paper art. In the entryway, the whole ceiling was covered with paper waves and a sinking paper ship and it was really cool. You wouldn't believe the stuff people can do with paper.

On Monday we had our first Writer's Workshop course and I found heaven in a four story Barnes and Noble. Lunch from Chipotle, then me and my writing girls walked back to Union Square and walked around. We found this amazing tea place and I can't wait to go back. I don't usually like tea but we got to try a sample because they weren't open yet, and it was amazing. But then we had to go back to the studio to watch Donnie Darko which wasn't that much fun and kind of put everybody to sleep.

I snagged an internship at the Jill Grinberg Literary Agency on Monday and she e-mailed me a manuscript to read so that's mostly all I did on Tuesday. On Wednesday we went to the Met with our art history class and got to see Jackson Pollack's Autumn Rhythm and Damien Hurst's Possibility of Dying in the Eyes of the Living, which is basically just a dead shark that was embalmed and floating in a tank of formaldehyde, but still very cool.

Thursday I finished up the manuscript, wrote some stuff for my workshop course, dinner with the girls, class was canceled so I came home, watched TV and wrote the write-up for Cheryl at my internship. I was nervous that it wasn't good enough but she e-mailed me back and told me it was exactly what she was looking for so that was encouraging. She said they were also impressed with my credentials. I didn't know I actually HAD credentials but I guess a few former jobs count for something.

2 hrs of art history on Friday followed by a visit from some people from a local church and then the designated therapist for the program stopped by to let us know how to get in touch with her and what she's around for. Our program offers three free sessions with a therapist; for some reason I find that hilarious. Then some of us girls went out to dinner at a place called Josie Woods pub. Their water tasted funny; I didn't try the food.

I slept till noon today, had lunch with Sarah, Beka, and Miriam, and then came back to my room where I am about to find out what happens in New York when it storms. It's thundering outside my window...I think. Might be the subway.

We got a slight dusting of snow last night which in NY is considered inclement weath so now all the express subways are running on their local schedules which means that between Chambers and 14th street there are 5 extra stops so it takes twice as long to get where you're going.

On Wednesday, I got lost coming back to the dorm. Brooklyn is downtown from Chelsea, not up. I got all the way to 72nd street before I turned around to come home and in the act of walking up the steps to turn around, I tripped up the stairs and skinned my knee. Then I rode the 80 or some odd blocks back to the dorm. I'd rather not get lost by myself ever again.

Did an ab class at the gym the other day which means that moving makes my torso hurt. I'm so out of shape.

I think that's all the exciting stuff. Sorry this entry isn't much fun but it's been orientation week and orientation isn't fun. I'm fairly certain it was the longest week of my life and I went to bed last night physically and emotionally exhausted. And I didn't go to bed till 4 so I was extra exhuasted.

Um...other stuff. I'm on Skype so if you want to video chat you can find me there: littlefeet.bigsteps

And if you want to mail me something, you can send it to:

Gracie Bau
100 Henry St. SG259
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Check back later. I promise I'll be better at updating.

I miss you guys!