The Jurymen

Now available online! Follow link to read it in the first issue of the electronic eJournal, Apollon. It's the featured article, and the first published.

CLICK HERE to read it!

My first review: The Jurymen

The first full review of my first play, The Jurymen.

'“The Jurymen” is complex and intricate. This play has many of the traditional components of a Greek play, like the Chorus, for example.While many may consider the standard Chorus song to be long and excessive, the songs in “The Jurymen” are necessary, and serve as an opportunity for more popular culture to be incorporated as well as an extension of the storyline. Moreover, I commend the writer for his or her ability to smoothly and comically transition into these songs.

Throughout the play one is reminded of these intentions, particularly that of education. The writer manages to both eloquently and deliberately incorporate elements of Classical mythology, philosophy, politics and history all while discussing the trial of Socrates. For example, on page thirteen the character Aristophanes suggests that a Greek chorus is needed to which Aristodemus replies, “…A chorus would help give the needed melody, which would work hand in hand with verse composition.” This serves as a contribution to the development of the chorus as a character as well as an introduction to audience members who may not be familiar with the significant role the chorus plays in a Greek comedy.

Furthermore, “The Jurymen” is able to remain loyal but also original, in regards to the classic style of comedy, largely because Greek comedies are topical. That is, the jokes are often specifically intended for ancient Athenians. Without knowledge of the social issues surrounding ancient Athens, many jokes are overlooked. “The Jurymen” discusses relevant twenty-first century social issues such as the Al Gore recount and the Texas Board of Education. This is perhaps the most insightful and surprising aspect of “The Jurymen”. A mark of thoughtful writing is found not by the mere inclusion of comedic definitions and characters named after philosophers, rather this mark is found in the writer’s ability to grasp the work of an era.

After being awed by the writer’s ability to successfully understand the larger workings of Greek comedy, the writer then pays an impressive amount of attention to detail. The writer anticipates all potential problems in terms of staging such as stage directions, audience inclusion as well as many reoccurring jokes. For example, the Chorus is from Idaho, which the characters eventually understand to be Ephesus. The mention of Ephesus is made through the play on multiple occasions. The writer even allows for extra time to be given to the audience as they cast their “vote” and decide Socrates’ fate.

It is this combination of large understanding and attention to specific details that deems this play publishable. Moreover, the writer shows a mastery of style in his or her efforts to create a successful portrait of Athens as an “ongoing dialogue”. This dialogue may mirror the philosophy that is so prevalent throughout the course of the play.

When examining the dialogue between the characters, it is obvious that the writer is familiar with classical philosophy and the commonly held beliefs associated with philosophers such as Socrates and Plato. For example, on page 20 the writer allows Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” to be introduced. In fact, the writer goes so far as to define the “Allegory” for audience members who may not know. Again, the primary goal of education is achieved.

Despite the amount of praise I may give the writer as a Classicist, “The Jurymen” successfully mocks many of the stereotypical aspects that are often associated with philosophers. This is incredibly evident in the first scene with the persistent mentioning of drinking (mentioned in some 10 pages!), which brings to mind Monty Python’s “Philosopher’s Drinking Song.” Also, the way Socrates’ character talks in circles and has moments of absent-mindedness adds an additional element of depth to Socrates as a character. This separates him from the man in history books.

There are many struggles that one may encounter when developing fictionalized yet historical characters. The viewer has many expectations when concerning philosophers such as Socrates. What distinguishes a historical and comic character from a biased character? To avoid such problems the writer must include significant historical details such as hemlock, which is often associated with Socrates, as well as Apollo’s “accidental” mention of Roman rule.

“The Jurymen” is a well researched comedy that has an overwhelming amount of detail. The “Commentary” on page sixty-one provides an enormous sum of information about Aristophanes, Socrates, and many of the other educational elements of “The Jurymen”. If it is not apparent by the writer’s grasp of Greek comedy that the writer is well-versed in the culture and politics of ancient Athens, it becomes abundantly clear by examining the “Commentary” as well as the works cited by the writer.

I am left with little doubt that “The Jurymen” should be accepted and published. I am convinced that “The Jurymen” is successful in its attempts to first and foremost educate. Also, I feel confident that this play could be performed, and not to mention be well received, at most colleges and universities. It is with this simple fact that allows “The Jurymen” to be an undeniable triumph.'

I'm being published!

As I have recently announced, a play that I wrote earlier this year is going to be published. For those of you who haven't been in direct contact with me to hear the whole story as it's developed, here's the basic plotline of how all of this came to be:

1. The story begins in my sophomore year, when I took Dr. Schwartz's Classical Philosophy course. I always suspected I loved Plato, but I didn't really know it until then. As Dr. Schwartz was skillfully explaining the cave allegory, he off handedly said: "It would be neat if we could perform this in the Dell (our college's outdoor Greek theater)". Being bright eyed and bushy tailed, I wrote this down immediately, and started playing with the idea of staging such an event in the future.

2. Senior year roles around and I need a senior project. I start out by looking into the archaeology of Greek theater spaces, but soon lose interest and voice to Dr. Cohen my now 2-year-old idea to turn Plato's philosophy into something that could be shown in the Dell. She bravely agrees to let me attempt a creative project for my senior project.

3. As the year progresses, my project begins to take form and becomes a full-formed play based on the trial and execution of Socrates modelled after the Old Comedy of Aristophanes that expresses the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle, discussing mostly philosophy of drama and justice. I write a 50 page play complete with a 20 page commentary citing everything imaginable, from verses of Plato to explanations of Athenian democracy.

At this point, all I really hope for is that my professors will be satisfied that I made a creative project academically relavent and let me graduate with my BA in Classics.

4. Everything after that snowballed, in an incredible way. Dr. Cohen and Dr. Stevens (my Classics professors) were in fact so pleased with my project that they not only granted me an A but also submitted for consideration for the college's Best Senior Paper award.

5. In the meantime, I also have the delight of seeing part of the play performed for the future cast of Dr. Cohen's Hecuba. My wonderful actors were several of my wonderful and incredibly supportive friends: Dr. Cohen, Sam Henderson, Megan Barrett, Alex Barrett, Rhiannon Knol, Eric Struble, Lindsay Wood, and Lorenzo Alvarez. Thanks again, guys. :)

6. My project won the Best Senior Paper award for my college, and one of the options I was offered as a result of this was to submit it to Apollon, a new academic journal that would consider my project for publication. I agreed to try for it.

7. In mid June, I got the following email from the Apollon office:

"Based on our initial reading of your play, The Jurymen, we believe that your paper has the potential to be considered for publication. We are interested in publishing material that are distinct both in content and style. However, your paper does not fulfill our submission requirements, as we seek to publish research papers that are within 2000-6000 words. Having said that, I would stress here that we are willing to make an exception and ignore the word limit for your paper as it seems unique and polished."

I do a few edits and sent the play off again, with the expectation of hearing back in August.

8. Tuesday I sent an email asking about the progress of my play. I got the following in response:

"The editors were highly impressed by many things in your work and have come to the conclusion that “The Jurymen” is a highly creative and an exceptionally well written play that strives to educate and entertain both Classicists as well as the average reader. Although we had initial reservations about your work due to its length being much longer than our usual submissions, we are glad we have had the chance to receive your work..."

9. After a few "minor changes", I'll send it back, and they'll publish it! :) It's a small and new academic journal, so it's not incredibly visible, but it's still a big step for me. This whole experience has already been far more rewarding than I was expecting; all I wanted to do was pass senior sem! xD

Thank you so much to everyone who encouraged and supported me while this was coming together. I couldn't have pulled it all off on my own.

I received a review from Apollon, as well, which I will post here in a few moments.

A Paradise in Prague

Street musicians on Charles Bridge

I've been avoiding writing an entry on my time in Prague because, while I went there to study creative writing, I have a hard time finding the words to describe the experience. In fact, a part of me feels that explaining it at all would only cheapen the experience, but I guess that's a risk I'm going to have to take.

The words I've come up with, so far, to describe my two weeks in the Czech Republic are: underwhelming, overwhelming, welcoming, alienating, inspiring, unifying, terrifying, exhausting, sweltering, fascinating, exhilarating, titillating, and last of all, heartbreaking. And that's all I might say about my many reactions to Prague. Onto the facts of what I did.

On the right: my photography instructor, Jan Pohribny. On the left: Jindrich Streit

First of all, I learned *so much* in my playwriting and photography workshops. I met so many amazing people and got very close to some in the short two weeks I spent there. The feeling of being surrounded by artists who all share that need to create was incredible, and being taught by such brilliant artists was even better. On top of that, Prague is bursting with creative energy and inspiration: a celebrated freedom after the Velvet Revolution and downfall of communism in CZ. During a photography field trip, I had the honor of meeting Jindrich Streit, a celebrated Czech photographer who resisted the communist regime and ban on art and who was arrested and spent time in jail for having a contemporary art gallery in his home (which I was lucky enough to visit). Through my photography class I was able to visit the studios of many renowned Czech photographers, and met many wonderful people that way. It was these visits and that field trip that helped me really find myself in the Czech Republic, and begin to love the experience of being there.

Three playwrights and a poet: Avi, Laura (my roommate, luckily for me), myself, and Aleks

As for my playwriting workshop, I was blown away by the amount of talent present with me three days out of the week. Actually, the amount of talent in the whole program was shocking. We had student readings in a small theater on Friday evenings and the first reading--featuring the illustrious playwrights along with fiction and poetry writers--was incredible. I met so many inspiring writers, in and out of my own workshop. Our class formed a nice group and we went out on adventures, such as seeing Henry IV in Czech at the foot of Prague Castle. Talk about an experience.

The stage for the Czech Circus

Speaking of theater, Czech theater is... wow. It was one of the many things I fell in love with there. Laura and I had the extreme pleasure of going to one of the showings of the Czech Circus our first week in Prague and it was an experience that I know I can't find the words to describe. The basic idea is that it follows the life of two clowns, but just saying that doesn't do the whole thing justice. The first half you're amused and entranced, delighted by the scenes before you. By the second act, you're shown images of beauty and love and hurt so fresh that you forget everything else entirely. Perhaps the effect was stronger since we weren't expecting it; we were just looking for a lighthearted time, but by the end found our hearts breaking. In a way, that experience alone pretty much sums up Prague for me.

But we (Laura, Erinn, Aleks, and I) also got to see a Black Light Show. That was a rose of a different color. It was entertaining and fun, but nothing like the intensity of the circus.

The Astronomical Clock

I saw many sights around Prague, including the Astronomical Clock, Jubilee Synagogue, Dancing House, and Cathedral + Castle. They were all nice, but the tourist area of Prague unnerved me in a way. It was beautiful, yes, but almost too much so. At night it felt genuine, but in the day, it felt like a street in Disney World. It seemed difficult to believe that anyone actually *lived* there; it seemed to be filled with tourists and visitors.

Me with two of my favorites--Erinn and Aleks--at the World Cup Spain vs Germany game in downtown Prague

One of the other fun experiences I got to partake in was World Cup gushing with the Europeans. It was amazing to be in Europe during the World Cup, seeing as Europe actually cares. Like, really, REALLY cares, as they should. Prague was projecting each game in the Old Town square for whoever wanted to come watch, and hundreds showed up. We couldn't pass up this opportunity, and enjoyed a very rambunctious and very exciting front-row view of football enthusiasm. The first half of the game we were mostly on the German side, trying to blend in. By the second half, we'd all switched over the the Spanish side, which turned out to be the right place to be. Viva Espana!

Sedlec Ossuary in Kutna Hora, CZ

I got one day of adventurous exploration on my own. There was one place I needed to go outside of Prague: Kutna Hora, home of the Sedlec Ossuary, aka, the Bone Church. Sadly for me, there was a tour arranged to go here while I was on my photography trip so all the people I'd want to travel with had already been. But it was fun/terrifying to figure out the Czech train system and get there all by my lonesome. I walked around a bit too much of Kutna Hora (getting lost was involved) and got to walk through the beautiful pastel Cathedral.


And then the Ossuary. For those unfamiliar with the place, it's basically a church that's decorated completely in, you guessed it, human bones. Most of the bones are from victims of war and plague in the area, and are hundreds of years old. For some reason a nearby monastery had a large storage of these bones just lying around, and then one day one monk took a look at them and thought "I could make me a pyramid out of that," and so he did. And this is reason #27465 why one should never trust a monk.

Kutna Hora Cathedral

And that's pretty much the gist of it. Sure, there's much more that could be said, but I'm not a good enough writer to do it all justice, so this'll have to do. It was a life-changing experience, and I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

Prague's St. Vitus Cathedral at night. Goodnight, folks.

Attention Recent Grads!

We've been in school our whole life. What do we do now that we're not longer in that environment? How will we make friends? How do people actually meet other people when they don't have classes to break the ice? Here's a must read article by the wise and wonderful Rebecca if you, like me, are a recent grad nervous about making friends outside the world of academia.

Click to read the article A Relatively Painless Guide to Making New Friends, and make sure to follow her other insightful articles at Musings on Life After College.

Chicago Uncharted: Intro and Lianna Carrera

As I will be living in Chicago for the next year and wish to keep up with my sense of travel, adventure, excitement, discovery, and blogging (the essentials of life), I have decided to kick-start a project which I will call--until I change my mind and rename it--"Chicago Uncharted". The basic principle is simple and not original: I will document the lesser-known restaurants, shops, people, experiences, etc that I find in and around Chicago that I think are especially worth one's interest, in hopes of spreading the word.

Lianna Carrera, photo by DuckDuckCollectiveBlog

This first installment of Chicago Uncharted features one fantastic female. Her name is Lianna Carrera and I had the honor of attending college with her for one year at Randolph-Macon Woman's College. During her last two years at the college, she treated her fellow students to the budding beginnings of her comedy career, and after graduating in 2007 she travelled to Chicago to follow her comedic dream. Her quick wit and unique view on life (courtesy of being a lesbian raised by a deaf mother and Southern Baptist Minister father) make her a unique and refreshing voice in the world of comedy. She has massive potential and To provide an example, here's a video of one of my favorite bits from her, performed at the R-MWC student center in 2008.

Check out the rest of her stuff on her YouTube account; it's all hilarious and pure gold. In fact, you should probably just Subscribe to her now. While you're at it, Bookmark her Site, Like her on Facebook, and Follow her on Twitter. You won't regret it, and it doesn't take a Macon Woman to know that Lianna Carrera is going places. In fact, she already has! Her tours have taken her to Europe and Africa and back, and Chicago's lucky to have her between her jaunts abroad to rock the world.

Keep an eye on her now, you'll be able to brag about how you-knew-about-her-before-she-was-famous, and everyone will think you're cool. And isn't that what life's all about folks? Help Lianna help you: follow her early and follow her often.

Except, you know, not literally. That's illegal.

Graduation

I am now a Randolph-Macon Woman's College Alum. It's a bit weird to say, and I'm not sure if I'm totally used to the idea, but one thing is for sure: I had a wonderful weekend. Tony drove down from Chicago and my Mom, Dad, brother, and sister all gathered from Houston, Princeton, and Durham to join me at Macon for my final weekend.

Graduation weekend at Macon begins with the Baccalaureate Ceremony in the Chapel Saturday morning. The speaker this year was Dr. Schwartz, my philosophy adviser, one of my very favorite professors, and overall one of my favorite people. So, of course, we had to go, and I'm thrilled that we did because his wonderful speech made me cry.

Reena and I carrying the Daisy Chain

Later the day on Saturday is Daisy Chain. The sophomores (our sister class, as we are both Evens, aka graduating in an even year: '10/'12) wake up extra early and weave us a chain of daisies. The seniors gather on the steps of Martin and wait while the sophomores walk down the hill singing to weave through the seniors. Once the seniors and sophomores are reunited, we sing a few songs, then the seniors weave away with the chain to the Sundial, where Garden Party begins and we all get refreshments after standing out in the sun wearing robes and button stoles for an hour. It's also a good opportunity for families to meet the professors whom their daughters/sons have known and talked about for the past four years.

Dr. Schwartz, Dr. Cohen, and I at Garden Party

And that concludes the frivolities on Saturday. Sunday is all serious business, when we lose the button stoles and silly hats for honor cords and... well, silly hats.

Our hall: Reena, myself, Megan, Sam, Alex, Kelly on the steps of Webb

Our day began at 8:15 sharp, and thankfully, it began in the Dell. One of the most desired events for a Maconite is to have graduation in the Dell, and that's a huge thing I wanted from the year. After all the shit our class has had to go through, it seemed the least the world could do to make our exit from Randy Mac much more pleasant than our entrance. It looked shady for awhile, and I nearly bruised my knuckles with all the knocking on wood I did all year to ward of jinxes, but thankfully the storm clouds cleared up Saturday night and it was sunny and beautiful all Sunday morning. I can not express how thankful I am for this.

Me with my sister and squire

The reason we had to be up and ready at 8:15 would of course be for graduation rehearsal, where we practiced walking and the squires practiced hooding their grads. A squire is someone whom the graduate chooses to walk with them and drape over their fancy hood in the middle of the ceremony. I was my sister's squire at her graduation from R-MWC in 1999, and 11 years later my sister was my squire at my own R-MWC graduation. I love it when things come full circle; it's the playwright in me.


The ceremony itself was wonderful and featured the 97 year old ex-President Quillian as the commencement speaker (and an all-too-fitting performance of Minnie the Moocher by Touch of Harmony). It was a beautiful day and ceremony, and I'm so happy that so many of the people whom I love could be there. Speaking of the people whom I love, here are just a few of them.

Me, Mom, and Dad

Me with my brother and sister, Jenny and Jody

Caleb, Rhiannon, Kelly, Sam, me, and Struble

Dr. Cohen and Dr. Stevens, my Classics professors and the two best mentors I could ever hope for. Also two of my favorite people, on and off campus.

There are many other people who helped make my graduation special simply with their presence and support, but I'm afraid if I don't stop the pictures now, I will be here all night uploading them.

As for honors, this semester I managed (with a GPA over a 3.9) to qualify for Cum Laude, and graduated with that honor after years of working to recover from a rough first semester, and without my entire junior year to help (since I went abroad, all my credits that year counted as Pass/Fail and didn't affect my GPA). I wore an honor cord from Eta Sigma Phi, the Classics Honor Society.

Also, Dr. Cohen submitted my senior paper for consideration for an award from the College's Writing Board. Out of the other papers submitting, four out of four judges voted my paper first place, earning me the title of Best Senior Paper. After working on my project (a play on the trial and death of Socrates) all year, it was a huge relief and honor to receive such an amazing award.

Oh, yeah, we rocked college.

Appearances online

Click on the link below to read an article from Randolph (mw) College Magazine about Tina Johnson--director of the CDC--, Penny Rozen--a fellow senior--, and myself discussing Katharine Brooks' book You Majored in WHAT?! We also share our chaotic experiences in college that led us to where we are now.

"Connecting the Dots": Experiential Learning Center uses new journey mapping technique to guide students on career path

And click below this blurb for a short listing of my senior project and current aspects for the summer, listed on the departmental news website.

Classics Students Accepted to Prestigious Programs

Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Alfred Werker.

My first movie review! This one is going to be published some time this week in the Sundial and is on Sherlock Holmes (2009).

Downey as Holmes and Law as Watson

Source: Wikipedia

First of all: Robert Downey, Jr. is to Sherlock Holmes as David Tennant is to Doctor Who. In other words, this isn’t your grandma’s Basil Rathbone, deerstalker cap wearing, armchair in front of the fireplace Sherlock Holmes, and thank goodness for that. Don’t listen to what the critics tell you; Sherlock Holmes needed a makeover. Downey’s Holmes provides a refreshing new look at this really rather shady character, showing the audience his rougher side featuring fist fights and drug abuse. But don’t worry, his wit is still as sharp as ever.

But let’s not forget Jude Law’s depiction of the more grounded, less suicidally rash Dr. Watson. Downey’s Holmes and Law’s Watson are an absolute delight to watch, and are the driving force behind the film. Sure, the special effects are great, but if there were a movie that was nothing more than these two men locked in a room together bantering, I’d watch it. The greatest strength of Sherlock Holmes is found in the gem conversations of this star-crossed bromance, and the actors who make it happen.

So come for the brilliant acting of Downey and Law, but stay for the style. Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes is the height of Victorian fashion and innovation dragged through the mud with an eye for the rising fad that is often titled “steampunk”. Wild Wild West attempted the look in 1999 and failed, as have many films since then. But Sherlock Holmes is the closest to embodying this grungy fashion without becoming obsessed with the gimmick of it. In the same way, the action and special effects are present and interesting without being overpowering. The movie manages to be a detective movie with a bit of action, rather than an action movie that attempts a bit of mystery.

The plot of the movie is one of the hottest topics among critics. The story does at first seem to be ridiculous, involving a mess of supernatural suspicions. However, an avid reader of Sherlock Holmes might agree that many times the story line is supposed to be ridiculous. It seems both in reading the books and in watching the movie unfold, the more ridiculous the plot line and the more that people buy into it, the more Holmes feels intrigued and prodded into discovering the truth behind the suspicious events. Your average crime won’t hold the attention of this impulsive detective, and you’re expected to know, like him, that the magic is just a red herring: the real adventure lies in uncovering the man behind the curtain.

Sherlock Holmes can be an enjoyable, thrilling experience, but should be approached with the right expectations and attitude. Don’t expect Basil Rathbone. Don’t expect Nigel Bruce. Don’t expect BBC Masterpiece Theatre. Everything after that, dear Watson, is elementary. So if you have a chance to catch it at the dollar theatre, do so! If not, look forward to its DVD release on March 30th.

Reading "Wow"

I was asked by a campus reporter to submit a story from Reading, something that shows the behind-the-scenes joys of the program and something that made me go "wow"! It took me a day to narrow it down, and while I cut out getting mugged in France, finding an apartment for myself in Athens via a one-in-a-million-chance-rendezvous in a Tube station, and dancing Thriller in silence with the rest of my house in Trafalgar Square, I thought this was a nice moment to relay. Not as epic, perhaps, but it was more relevant to the Reading program itself.

It was a dark and blustery night. I'd been listening to the Beatles my whole life, so just being in Liverpool was a dream come true. But I was beside myself that night because my friends and I were all talking about going down to the Cavern Club, the venue where the Beatles got their start. It was still a thriving club, and we'd heard the night before had had mediocre music, but we decided to go give it a try, if only for the novelty of being there. We fought the wind (we must've looked like those men in the old movies who hold onto lamp posts, it was that strong) all the way to the pedestrian center of Liverpool and finally arrived in the Cavern Club. I think the next moment is a memory that will live in my head forever. As I led the group down the spirally stair case that descended into the cave-like club, I slowly came to the realization that the air was filling with the sound of the climax of Hey Jude, being sung by a live band. When I finally reached the bottom, it was like I walked into one of my childhood dreams: the room opened up from the tunnel of the stair well and exploded in sound as an entire mob of people sang the final words of "Hey Jude" in front of a stage littered in color. To me, that moment was the very meaning of the word "perfection". It was like bringing my parents to the Westminster Tube stop right under Big Ben and telling them to look up right as she starts ringing. Or finding the perfect pair of Wellies while standing in a shoe store in Bath, my current shoes completely soaked through and leaving puddles on the floor. Or cooking Thanksgiving dinner with my housemates, my new found family in my home-away-from-home. Or eating meat pies in a shop called Sweeney & Todd. Or seeing Les Mis in Covent Garden. Or going to Midsummer Night's Dream in the Globe Theatre. Or watching Harry Potter in Leicester Square. Or taking the train into Paddington Station. Actually, it was perfect like spending a year of my life in Reading, England with some of the best people I could ever care to meet. It really doesn't get any better than that.

2009 Recap

Here's something of interest. On Facebook, there's an application that lets you see all your statuses from 2009. It's a little late in the year now for reminiscing, but oh well. It makes for an interesting summary.

And these are all phrases because what proceeds it is "Katt Janson..."

January
	is stuck in France. Oh noes!
	has, in the past 24 hours, seen the Eiffel Tower in the snow, ridden 6 trains, sailed across international borders on a ferry, and been mugged. Long day.
	caught some crazy French bug and is sad that Tony just left =(
	http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061673765?ie=UTF 8&tag=icahachfabl-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creati ve=9325&creativeASIN=0061673765
	misses Tony
	thinks she'll like the 11th Doctor
	wants her fever to break
	is attempting to teach herself modern Greek
	's sister just had her baby!!! =DDDD
	needs to start getting shit done. ...tomorrow.
	is stressing over her summer schedule!
	really wants a Quiznos sandwich. And a bundt cake!!
	loves sharing in Reena's film noir homework!
	is surprised to find herself a little homesick, and hopes it'll pass soon
	is breaking out the champagne and toasting to a better America
	hates waiting around to hear back on stuff. Am I going to Crete? How much is Athens? Silchester? Answer me!! =(
	is jamming to her new headphones, eating Pace salsa, and anticipating her mac & cheese dinner. Life is good.
	misses you.
	just watched Out of the Past and is depressed about life
	is learning the Thriller dance for Z day.
	thinks she can't return a completely frozen dove to the pet store and get the full refund she feels she's entitled to.
	cannot be contained in a Facebook status
February
	is wishing Tony a happy birthday!!
	is on a trans-Atlantic dinner date.
	so much snow!!!
	thinks failed zombie fall over Brooke = ouch.
	is tired of living in the subjunctive
	@#$&!
	feels a little better after a cup of tea and Sally Lunn bun
	is GOING TO CRETE!!!
	is doing the Thriller dance in London on Friday the 13th whether the cops like it or not. What's the worst that can happen?
	is in London, totally not getting arrested
	made a badass zombie. Take that, London bobbies.
	is the luckiest girl in the world
	needs a holiday
	has a new dream job: Mediterranean Marine Archaeology
	spent a depressingly rare gorgeous day stuck in the library. Stupid sem paper...
	watched a beautiful day go by from a library window. Stupid sem paper.
	can't take much more of this.
	is falling for Neil Patrick Harris
March
	is back from Liverpool, and is exhausted. But the Cavern was so worth it...
	will be uploading Liverpool pictures for days at this rate.
	is legendary
	is apartment hunting
	?
	sings the woes of my dear Angelo.
	is in London with the parents until Tuesday
	has a flat in Athens!! ANGELO LIVES!!
	already misses 153, and she hasn't even technically left yet. Well shit.
	soooo happy to be back home in Reading
	thinks the world's a mess and I just need to rule it.
	is devastated by the thought of walking out of 153 for good today.
	could really use a hug.
	is saying her goodbyes.
	is on to her next stop for world domination: Crete. It's going to be Legend--wait for it--
	falls asleep to the sound of Mediterranean waves as they crash against the shores of Crete.
	fancies a dip in the Mediterranean, with a side of hitch-boating.
April
	wishes she had a MacDoodle day in Crete. Alas, back to soil flotation and pottery washing... Happy MacDoodle Day anyway!
	has had enough of exciting travels and just wants to go home.
	feels better now that she found a bar with free WiFi. Cocktails, ice cream, an ocean view, and internet. Life is better.
	has no other option but to register for fall courses in a bar.
	is absolutely and thoroughly disgusted by the constant intolerance at her home campus. How dare you destroy Macon with your filth.
	is in your taverna, stealing your internets.
	is not joining SG groups. Stop inviting her.
	is in love with Greece.
	is sad that she worked 10 hours today and is now missing the Doctor Who Easter special. David Tennant is happening somewhere, and I am not witnessing it.
	thinks some people should just die in a fire.
	sure hated walking up Death Mountain every morning, but she's never been fitter.
	is on a boat.
	signed the lease for her very first apartment... in ATHENS!
	knows where her towel is.
	still knows where her towel is, and is a little terrified by the Greek Easter. O.o
	has lost her towel. How do you say "My clothesline broke, may I retrieve my pants and towel from your balcony, please" in Greek?
	new email name: indianajans
	is webcamin' it to Garden Party!! =D
	thinks you should follow me. http://thelitterbox-katt.blogspot.com/
	couldn't take the homesickness anymore and is booking a flight home for 2 weeks in June, 13th-26th. See you soon, Houston.
	Make that the 14th-27th. In case you cared enough about the details.
	couldn't take the homesickness anymore and is booking a flight home for 2 weeks in June, 14th-27th. See you soon, Houston.
	is a Feta fan.
	Swine flu? Seriously? This is just the Bird Flu in different packaging. Calm the f*** down.
	is going to miss everyone being only 2 hours off of her timezone...
	wonders if the Greeks know how to celebrate anything without the use of explosives. Her experience so far says no.
May
	ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΟΣ!
	feels alone in her timezone.
	It's been so long since I last heard thunder. Now Athens feels a little closer to home.
	had a good day today. =) Athens is slowly starting to grow on me.
	is bringin' it on down to Omletteville.
	@&$%Artistic Frustration!&*$£
	needs a senior hat. Spartan helmet, Bruce the Philosopher brim hat, Greek guard phareon, or scuba helmet? Decisions, decisions.
	is off on a hike through the mountains of Athens!
	Congrats RMWC c/o 2009!!
	is dizzy with Greek drama.
	Summer papers = not cool. Researching in foreign countries with a limited library and no online sources = very not cool. Moving out of a 'home' for the third time in the past 2 months = the least cool of them all. But Macon group coming to Athens = cool!
	is packing and cleaning. I'll miss you, flat of Angelo in Athens. We had such epic times together.
June
	is celebrating 3 of the happiest years of her life with Tony! =)
	can't stop crying over a stray kitten.
	is mourning the loss of her stray kitten. Goodnight, Thalia.
	You know what? I've ignored the creative side of myself long enough. It's time to follow my dreams and be a writer, even if it means living in a cardboard box.
	is performing in R-MWC's Centennial Greek Play TONIGHT in Greece!
	Well that was... interesting. But hey, we had a great show and we all gave 110%! Great job everyone!
	is down to her last day in Athens... then it's hello Houston!!! After 10 months out of the country I'm ready to go HOME.
	is homeward bound!!!
	is HOME!!!!
	has a fever and a 3500 word paper to write. Welcome home, indeed.
	is happy she went to a doctor, because apparently she was about 2 days away from kidney failure. Awesome.
	is on the mend.
	This paper is going down.
	Suck it, Karfi. Suck it long, suck it hard.
	is making it better with Dr. Horrible and obscene amounts of ice cream.
	You were a crazy bastard, but man you could dance. [Michael Jackson]
	has a new American cell number. Please do not call the old number, as the lady who inherited it is getting a little tired of answering calls for Katt.
	Five countries in five weeks? Bring it on. brb, America.
	is smiling. It's a rainy day in London... <3
July
	I can now clearly see that field archaeology is not for me.
	is happy that she's down to her last two days of digging in the mud and sleeping in a freezing cold leaky tent!
	Damn you, horrible exchange rate! On the plus side, I have a senior hat!
	is in Paris. In case you were wondering, $630=€450=£390. FML.
	is in London.
	is in Dublin, then Edinburgh.
	Et tu, exchange rate? >.
	finds Scotland hauntingly beautiful.
	is off Nessie huntin'!
	MIGHT have seen Nessie... wait for her Scotland album to find out! =D
	will always be in love with London.
	will soon be stateside, this time for good. *conflicted sigh*
	is back by popular demand. ... yea, not really, but I am back in the US of A.
	is rediscovering the wonder of cheap phone calls. Hooray for the return of convenient communication!
August
	is working on her Hippo books.
	is finding that scrapbooking is messy business!
	is craving gyros, Goody's, Greek salads, and REAL FETA CHEESE. =(
	is a little bit under the weather.
	is off to Michigan!
	desperately misses England.
	is unreachable for the next week, as she is in Michigan and does not have the cell service to communicate.
	is back for 2 days to pack and then off to Macon for senior year!!!
	actually finished and ordered the Hippo books for her nephews! These summer projects are actually getting DONE! How exciting!!
	My life is travel sized.
	lost her debit card, drivers' license, cash, and diary for the past year, but made it to L-burg safely.
	Dear Thief: keep the money, the debit card, the ID. All I want is my diary back. The address is right inside, just send it back to me.
September
	Ah, Mr. 8am Leafblower. We meet again.
	is sooo excited about her Hippo Books!! They look so good!!
	believes no one should die because they cannot afford health care, and no one should go broke because they get sick. If you agree, please post this as your status for the rest of the day. Demand universal health care!
	is seriously considering joining the Peace Corps...
	is Pushing Daisies: because I totally have time to get addicted to *another* television show.
	A man walks into a tailor shop in ancient Athens and drops a pile of tattered robes on the counter. The salesman looks up at the customer and says "Euripides?" and the customer replies, "Yea, Eumenides?"
	's brain is melting.
	thinks karma owes her one hell of a good day, after all the awful ones she's been having. It's clearly not today. Maybe tomorrow...?
	thinks that this is absolutely ridiculous. I can't handle much more of this semester if it's really going to be like this. I'm done.
	has decided to try and think positive about the next few weeks! I can do this!
	really hopes the sophomore class rediscovers their excitement for school tradition and SIGNS UP for Pumpkin Parade!!
	might just pull off getting these Hippo books published... stay tuned!
	is sooooo excited about Pumpkin Parade!!! =D
	has an awesome sophomore and is off to the Greek Festival. What a great end to a rough week!
	has Greek feta once again!!! =DDDDD Suck it, Wisconsin.
	I am Sparticus. And so can you! But only if you come to the Classics movie night, tonight 7pm Leggett 537.
	, Michaela Gabrielle Margida, and Samantha Henderson are hosting an information session on the University of Reading TONIGHT, 7-8pm in the Ribble Lounge. All are welcome! Come with questions! English Toffee might be involved...
	Information Session Success! Thanks to all who came! =)
	hopes she has enough presents for her fantabulous sophomore!
	feels like a kid waiting for Santa to come and... decorate her door.
	LOVES HER SOPHOMORE LONG TIME!!
	=D!
	"is super fantabulous" XD I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE my sophomore!!!
	would like to pass on walking down to Martin in the raaaaain. For the third time today, no less.
	Brian Regan tonight! Go team. go!
	is an avid Ovid reader.
	doesn't know whether she should sport a sundress or a sweater. Pick a season already, Virginia!
	Poll: What should Katt do with her life? Go.
October
	hates campus PCs with the passion of a thousand fires.
	is super excited about her show tonight! For Adventure! Travel! and Excitement! with Sweet Charity, tune into Intermission: on the WWRM tonight at 8:30e/7:30. You won't regret it!
	would just like to know where the stink bugs are *coming from*. My evidence so far has raised suspicious of a stink bug cloning machine hidden somewhere in the depths of my room.
	thinks that if Texas seriously wants to seceed, it should just do it. The rest of the States won't miss it, and that'd be one less red state to worry about.
	stumbled upon all her high school pictures on her external hard drive, and is torn between feelings of nostalgia and relief that she's no longer in high school.
	Screw you, ModCloth, and your ridiculously adorable, way too expensive merchandise.
	left her Plato at home! Crisis!!
	is getting Cabin Fever. Fall break can't come soon enough.
	misses the sound of a train pulling into Paddington.
	loves starting off her morning with a little John Stuart Mill.
	Yea, Fall Break!!! ...now what?
	is in Maryland.
	is back and counting the days until the next break...
	is nostalgic for an era she never knew.
	Who on earth is Sonu Cena and why does Facebook want me to be his friend so badly?
	How could I have known that murder could sometimes smell like honeysuckle?
	is smart, fun, responsible, dedicated, creative, and a damn good friend. Ladies, be positive! Tell the world how awesome you are. <3
	Stop the world, I want to get on!
	thinks that instead of a new shiney track, this school should've invested in computers that can scan and send two pictures in under an hour.
	is Carmen Sandiego.
November
	Best part of the evening: photoshoot with Pyramid Head.
	wants everyone to tune in to The WWRM tonight at 8:30 to hear the original War of the Worlds radio broadcast! Courtesy of Intermission: and Sweet Charity! :D
	is about to go Live with the Original War of the Worlds! Tune in on the WWRM!
	"All radio is dead, which means that these tape recordings I'm making are for the sake of future history - If any."
	Ob-la-di, Ob-la-dah...
	Happy Guy Fawkes day! Now give me a pint and something to light on fire.
	Congrats to the whole Rocky Horror Cast! Party hardy tomorrow: you've deserved it.
	loves her some Macon Women!! Thanks to the Houston Alumnae Chapter and the fellow Macon Woman on campus for brightening my day with presents. :D
	&%#@ it.
	Moses supposes his toeses are roses, but Moses supposes erroneously.
	thinks it's high time Hippo visited DC...
	A father to his 5 year old daughter, after trying to explain how the dinosaurs went extinct: "You're right, it IS kinda like how grandpa died."
	fears the day when last year's experiences become irrelevent.
	Where might one find the Productivity Switch? I think mine's stuck on 'off'.
	Textbooks are taking over my tiny territory.
	Hello, fever.
	Where medication fails, Back to the Future prevails.
	The worst thing about being sick is the lonliness. And the chills. The fever sucks, too. But mostly the lonliness.
	Happy Birthday Alex and Megan!
	is feeling better! Just in time to be Nancy Perrault for tonight's frivolities!
	writing a murder mystery party is totally stressful, but so worth it!! :D
	sees Tony tomorrow!!! :D
	is off to North Carolina!
	needs a refill on her Chill Pill prescription.
December
	Epiphany of the day: Socrates was like the Michael Moore of Athens.
	thinks you're just jealous because her "fucking queer" friends are sexier, smarter, cooler, wittier, funnier, and utterly better than you and your homophobic, idiotic alcoholic, tragically barbaric clique will ever be.
	Dear Doctor, please stop distracting me with your Time Lordian wiles. I have papers to do. Signed, Me.
	keeps having dreams about traveling. Yesterday London, Chicago today, how I wish I was anywhere but here.
	always brings a banana to a party. Bananas are good.
	just got a phone call from her 3 year old nephew saying "Hi Aunt Katt, I miss you" :D
	Cupcakes + Hedgehogs = success. And it's not even the 15th yet! :D Katt <3>
	So much for Forever 21.
	is done with Latin forever and heading home!
	Hair poll: Keep it short or grow it out?
	My next door neighbors are doing Native American tribal dances to a very enthusiastic drum beat. Never a dull moment.
	If that's not Nathan Lane, I'll eat my shoes.
	is still not feeling the Christmas spirit. Bah, humbug.
	Beer, tomato soup, and South Park. Christmas Eve has never been classier.
	omgdoctorwhowtf.
January
	is a little sad to see 2009 go. After all, it was the year of Paris, London, Liverpool, Crete, Athens, Scotland, and Ireland. You've got a lot to live up to, 2010; let's see what you've got.