Waste

18 December 2008: My first thought on this sunny, birthday morning was: i'm 27 years old - this sucks.

My next thought was: it's Thursday - my morning workout day. And I felt better.

I find my mood is more affected by my activity level, less by the weather. I've come to believe in the power of perspiration, not precipitation. So, I sweat. And I smile.

On Skype, I update mom and dad with my birthday goal:
- J: At 27 years old, I should have a 27 inch waist.
- M: You should be 127 pounds!
- J: What?! Mom, at the end of high school I was 148 pounds and in fine swimming shape...

- M: No, at 127 you'd be svelte.
- J: I'd be bones!
- D: Bones and svelte...

image from: espion

Engagement

09 August 2008: Happy engagement Jen and John!

On Saturday, 9 August, 2008
John _ _,
from Bradford, West Yorkshire proposed to
Jennifer _ _, from Los Angeles, CA
whilst on the top of the London Eye to which she happily accepted.

The couple have been living together in Guildford, Surrey and look forward to beginning to plan their wedding.

image from: jennifer

30

09 July 2008: Happy Birthday Jennifer!

image from: aprille

Predicate

3 November 2007: Leeds to London and met up with a Brown classmate, Emily (Consultant, Japan/India).


[insert photo: family likeness] After lunch we wandered into the National Portrait Gallery to try to find her grandfather's portrait. Unfortunately the image was recently removed (I explained they were making room for Emily's portrait), but there were paintings, caricatures, and even a bust to be found in the museum computerised archives.

I savored my last night in the UK with my parents over dinner. And fell into a tipsy conversation with my dad about math and logic, of all things, which was actually quite thrilling. (Dork alert).

I'm going to miss my parents terribly, but after meeting Emily's gap year travel buddies for evening drinks, it was reassuring to see healthy supports even all the way around the world.

Hiya

31 October 2007: Guildford Halloween pub crawl with Jennifer's pub co-workers.

[insert photo: jen/me] I dressed up as: Jen. It was easy - people always say we look practically like twins. I only needed three signifiers: 1) work shirt, 2) cashier card, and 3) the infamous mole.

Waterwall

26 October 2007: LA-like tour, as we visited where the mountains meet the sea.

[insert photo: Go board and lunch] The Maritime Museum was a treat, even though I lost my folks during a self-guided audio tour. Where could they have gone after stop #4 and we're on the same pace? Maybe they're rowing with the reconstructed galley.

Anyway, we met up again and headed to Port Vell for a razor clam, prawn, and calamari lunch where I decidedly beat my father in our daily Go competitions.

[insert photo: fountain] At sunset atop Montjuic, mom and I descended from the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya to watch the Magic Fountain show. I was thrilled to find the van der Rohe Pavillion and touched the Mecca of my HA85 modern architecture course.

I would have liked to have spent more time around the small, winding streets of Poble Sec. People were pouring out of a small tapas bar with drinks in hand and no chairs. Mom could have rolled me home.

Thanks

24 October 2007: In Barcelona, Spain traveling with mom and dad.

[insert photo: Gruell Park] We made arrangements in Guildford, kissed Jen goodbye, and arrived last night. Our hotel is in Gracia, beside Gruell Park and the Gaudi museum. We've spent the morning in the mountains and the park overlooking the city to the sea.

Mom and dad don't know too much about Gaudi and were in awe when we got to his first stone stacked bridge held up by Catalan arches.

[insert photo: sangria mommy] We wandered to Casa Vicens, Mercat de la Libertat, and Placa Ruis i Taulet for dinner where we learned that mom gets soggy over sangria - a double-whammy of alcohol and sugar. We rolled her home.

What's

22 October 2007: A song is playing at the Star Inn, Jen's workplace.

I ask mom:
- Is that Tina Turner?

Mom bursts up and looks out the window:
- Where?!
... Or do you mean the music?

- I mean... there.

Mom bursts up and looks out the window:
- Where?!

[Moments later, referring to the music, of course.]
- I think it is Tina Turner...

Mom bursts up and looks out the window:
- Where?!

Image from: jackie