Future's so bright, gotta wear SHADES!!

All out theme parties are always an interesting time. Especially when you have an eclectic bunch of guests and large amounts of a drug we call alcohol. So, tonight it was an 80's prom party, with a lot of strange people, rad 80s mixes that get stuck in your head, and lots of booze put into the mix. My my it was fun! Pictures soon I hope, we sure took a lot of polariods!



And yes, this large, bald man was mine and Jessie's dirty ol' date. He's actually a good friend and we danced the night away in the purple rain with hiim amoung a few other men, women, madonnas..etc!

Of Montreal

Of Montreal/mannequin makeout/Mr. Baseman concert was amazing! People made ROOM for Kendall, Carrie, Tirzah and I to dance in the front of the Bluebird Theater. We danced wildly and awesomely, pictures to come soon!
It was really too bad the the Bluebird forced all of the under-agers to the balcony. It felt so segregated and we were unable to hang out with our underage friends, Jessie K and Jordan. Afterward though and the next day we all got to chill.

On the way back from the concert I was in the car with Scott, Tirzah and Kendall. Scott was driving and Tirzah sang my favorite Of Montreal song...it follows, it is called "Springtime is the Season"

the summer's good for tulips, though pansies disagree
they find the heat most distasteful, and humidity
far too grand to stand up tall or bargain with the bees
they prefer to droop and mope and wait for autumn's breeze
wait for autumn's breeze
the autumn's good for pumpkins, though apples don't approve
the trees that they've been living on now forces them to move
and rudely lets them fall and sends them quick to their demise
without so much a "bon voyage" or even a "goodbye"
even a "goodbye"
the winter's good for penguins, though brown bears must object
when talk comes to the joys of winter, they must interject
hibernating in the snow just isn't where it's at
'cause sleeping makes you skinny, and we bears like to be fat
we like to be fat
springtime is the season where everyone's a friend
loneliness and desperation both come to and end
no matter how you died through winter, in spring you're born again
your life might not be going good, but spring helps you to pretend
it helps you pretend, it helps you pretend
(good job, boys, well done)


at night trees aren't sleeping
everything is falling apart, yes I am
watching me watch birds watch people
watching me watch birds watch people
I wear my bowtie to bed
'cause I'm waiting for the gorgeous young man
hiding in the spaces that darkness hides gorgeous young men
everything is falling apart, yes I am
watching me watch birds watch people
watching me watch birds watch people
we're only waiting here to die
at least let me put my arms around you
why try to keep it from myself, when it feels so good to sing about love?
everything is falling apart, yes I am

The night was so amazing I wish you were there. Really.

Civil and Savage Bash

I was a savage last night. I hope I proved my worth. This party was everything I expected from my gorgeously perfect friend, who also wrote her English Honors thesis. I went solo, so I forced myself to chat with the wide array of people that were at this bash in North Boulder. The food was scuptious, the hot tub bubblin', and Jessica, aka Jessie was definitely a fellow savage, but great, hostess.
Witness below a sample of her brilliance. Maybe pictures will be posted soon. I don't know how crazy they are going to look.
The description of the party...written prior to the party, but surprisingly it contained an immense amount of accuracy as to what the true bash was like:

"Welcome to the Wright Bros (& Girl) House for the first annual CIVIL & SAVAGE party. Inside lies the mansion of Civility, a veritable bastion of high-brow delights, mini-quiche, martinis and manhattans. Bump elbows with society's leading Haute Couture, experience the grandiloquent mini-quiche, and partake in a viewing of the Bond movie "Die Another Day" plus other cavalier confabulations. Suggested dress code: tuxes & gowns, or as near black tie as you've got: interview attire may gain admission. After all, the world is your oyster... OR OUTSIDE: For all you rapacious beasts: leave the tuxes and gowns where they lay: venture outside for a paradise of hedonistic savagery...if you dare...complete with a heat-controlled K-Y lube wrestling pit (a la Old School). Partake in infamous yet scrumptious cocktails: The Squashed Locust, The O.B. Gin, The Broken Cherry Repair Kit, and the BM (Bloody Mary, for you dirty beasts) Bar. The Beastie (aka Jessie) will be administering Jello shots for the truly luscious, as well as miscellaneous cannibal treats. PLUS: Witness Jeffrey Loy's "The 60-cycle HUM," a Kreider special propane-powered sculpture that was exhibited at Burning Man 2003 and remains in the estate collection (until the neighbors stage an armed revolt or send their mercenaries)...and of course the hot tub. Suggested Wardrobe: Recall Amazonia? (women may leave right breast intact, sub men only) Tarzan? (loincloth) Cave Man? (big clubs, not much else) Hot tub attire (need more be said?). Use your imagination! Please RSVP detailing IN/OUT preference and bring any special elixirs you wish to share with fellow fauna or wallflowers." ~Miss Jessie Party Invite, sheer brilliance!

I brought daisies for the savage hostess. She loved them! I wore a leopard print mini 80's dress and bound my legs and arms with black material. I also tied myself by the neck. I also wore my bikini under it so I could just slip out of the dress and hop into the hot tub. Such savagery, and such fun!!

You're wearing a jean skirt, Mercedes, and I think it makes a statement!" ~Kristin Coffman, old roommate

The Illustrious UMC Fountain, Boulder, CO

Mama said there would be days like this, so here is the description of a random day last week en la vida de Mercedes. It was so hectic, busy, and fast paced I found myself not even realizing I was runnin' from place to place...Especially on this particular Tuesday.

It all began on Tuesday morning, when Christian paid my house a visit. I did an overnight the previous evening, so I was sleeping late, but I got up immediately knowing that they day would be jam-packed with social activity. Nick, my ex boyfriend who moved to Boston, was in town and wanted to see me for the first time since we broke up. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous, but with the help of a random morning visitor by the name of Christian, I called Nick and set up a lunch date.

It was very good seeing Nick, he is always a barrel of laughs and more. So that excursion went well despite my prior doubts. After I left him, I got a random phone-call from a CU campus number--it was my friend Simeon, who I met through my favorite yoga instructor in the world, Mahmoud. Here is the extent of our phone conversation:
Simeon: Hello, hello.
Me....: Hi!
Simeon: Hellooo.
Me....: Hi, um, is this Simeon? WOW!
Simeon: Yes, how are you? What are you up to?
Me....: I'm driving back to Boulder, almost there, why?
Simeon: Well, I'm about to do a session of yoga and I just wanted to dedicate it to you.
Me....: Oh! Have a great time then, where are you doing it?
Simeon: I'm on campus, why, are you close to campus?
Me....: Yes I am, and I have my yoga mat with me.
Simeon: Really! You should meet me here!!
Me....: Ok, but I'm in a skirt!
Simeon: That's ok, you can still do yoga.
Me....: I dunno about that, where do you want to meet?
Simeon: Well, I'm at the UMC.
Me....: SIM!! Let's meet at the UMC FOUNTAIN and RUN THROUGH IT!
Simeon: OH YEAH! See you there soon!
Me....: Simeon, wait, HEY! Do you think we could do yoga in the fountain?
Simeon: Oh, wow, yes, let's do it in the fountain!!!!
So I found a pair of yoga pants in my trunk, parked and ran to the fountain sans cell phone, sans purse, sans watch...and I saw Simeon undressing by the fountain...

The craziness that ensued after that is, well, unmentionable...and it all happened in public, on campus, in the beautiful 80 degree weather, with the sun at a perfect, warm angle above the flatirons. I was soaking wet afterward. I was mostly distracted with our activities but I did notice a random photographer taking photos of us together in the fountain. We must have looked stunning.

Sim and I said our goodbyes and ran in separate directions. We looked back once through the outside corridor that runs from east to west on the north side of the UMC. He waved awkwardly as he turned back around in his slightly askew bike helmet and wet shorts. I saw him smile. I did not know it at the time, but this was the last time I would ever see Simeon.
After this madness, I decided it was time for some Bova's Frozen Custard. I bought some for the lovable Jessie K and myself, and then I dashed over to her house. She was nice enough to buy me a ticket to Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. After hanging for a bit at Jessie's an enjoying the custard and some ginger beer I rushed home to change and shower before the movie. As I hopped out of the shower, I hear voices calling for me outside of the door. I panic, then relax as I recognize the Nick, Ryan and Kristin's voices. What a surprise! I quickly dressed and exited the bathroom wearning the jean skirt mentioned in the subject of this post. Coincidentally, Nick and his best friend Ryan were going to the same midnight showing that evening and we all went together. I enjoyed it, but in small degrees and only at specific parts.



Yoda was the best. Also prior to the movie the festivities and celebrations of love for Star Wars were very amusing. There were young boys fighting with light sabers at the front of the theater, people with Star Wars puppets playing with them in front of the projector, and people in costume...it was great. The actual movie, well, expectedly entertaining, but not fabulous. I forgive it because I realize money can corrupt people (i.e. George Lucas) and after you have produced masterpieces (the OLD Star Wars with my love Harry Ford...) they loom over all of the rest of your work.

Dirty, dirty, dirty from camping in UTAH!

We visited the trendy destination spot of Moab just for a gander at people's propensity to it. My friend Andy and I were so dirty from camping and hiking over the few days we were there-we really did get some dirty looks from the trendy Moabites and tourists. Trust me, this dirt was not clean!



We camped in this area, Fisher Towers, which is about 25-30 miles out of Moab. Yes, the colors are this vibrant when the sun goes down in Utah. And no, I didn't take any of these photos. I wish I had!



This is the road that we traveled along to get to Fisher Towers. We met 2 other guys who had saved us a sweet, peaceful, secluded, and SHADY campsite. Shade is rare and coveted in this area, so we were quite grateful for the early departure of the campers that saved our site.

The river in the above picture is actually very calm. Due to spring runoff the current of the Colorado River when I was there was fairly rough and a bit scary if one ventured even a quater of the way into the middle of the river. Frightfully enough, a fellow camper threatened to throw me into this freezing cold river numerous times. I was able to thwart his attempts every single time. We did swim in the ~55 degree water of the Colorado River to cool off after our hike to Fisher Towers, though, and it felt great. It took about 2 minutes to get used to the water but once you did it was amazing and refreshing. My lungs were about to burst with the power of the cold water when I first got in, it was a good thing I was with some attractive, scantily clad boys that could warm me up!! I know you wish I could prove that part, don't you?

I want to be back in Utah now. I am dreaming that I am again amongst the red rocks, rusty colored dust, vibrant wildflowers and warm sun of Utah as I type this. It is a lovely place to recreate yourself and for recreation, of course. Especially when you're surrounded by cool young men. This trip was great, I hope to take more soon! Right now I'm going to go rollerblading in the plain old but beautiful city of Boulder, Colorado.

"The loss of wealth is loss of dirt,
As sages in all times assert;
The happy man's without a shirt." ~John Heywood (1497?–1580?) from "Be Merry Friends"

Utah!!!!!!!!!

Is dirt dirty or is dirt technically clean because it has never known the difference between clean and dirty?

Off to Utah for the weekend! WOOHOO!!

The Best Night of our Lives

"I'm almost 99.9% sure that tonight is going to be the best night of our lives" ~Andy Martin

"Woodpeckers? Yeah, you want to know what I do with those asses? Pull a Colt 45 on that b*stard when it is pecking on my house and blow that mother f*cker outta the sky, burn that annoying piece of sh*t out of my yard" ~Matt, not my roommate

Ah, the Boulder Life. The best time of my life, as Andy says. How right on he is, or how right he could be...
Today consisted of finishing work at 7am, doing laundry, enjoying lunch with Ruba and Carrie (bread aka "carb" bowls as they call them), movies, bank, grocery store to buy food for dinner tonight, two different library visits, dinner with cool people at Jessie K's place, Redfish with Carrie, Erik Christensen, Vincent, my sister Mackenzie, her boyfriend/my friend Charles Stickles...then random people we ran into like Joseph, Charles G..etc. RedFish, ah, the Wednesday hot spot. I miss the old RedFish crew like I miss having sand between my toes in Mexico. RedFish always delivers though, it is the key to having the best night of your life, apparently. Afterward we had ice cream, it was delicious. Ice cream on a rainy day is like Virginia Woolf in an Engineering classroom, it just doesn't belong but it feels oddly comfortable and relevant when you try it out.

This weekend is either going to be extremely busy and wild or extremely calm and interesting. I have the choice to:
a) Stay in CO and do "normal things" like go see Last Exit and Company on Friday, visit my brother's open house party on Saturday, go to Sushi on Sunday
OR
b) Trek or carpool to Utah with a bunch of men I barely know (but trust) to camp, backpack and be crazy.
I don't know which, any recommendations? a or b? Please!

Graduation from the University of Colorado at Boulder

Me at English Graduation, originally uploaded by Bee-Butt.

So happy to be done! And at the last ceremony!!! Onto the festivities of the evening!!!




My mom is amazing! Isn't she beautiful! My parents are so happy!! I am too!!!



Pictured above is the official award that they called me up to the stage for. My fellow thesis writing friend, Matt, who wrote about Tom Wolffe, told me something extremely memorable as I walked up to recieve the award here. He stopped me as I walked up and said:
"Don't look so nervous, Mercedes! You look great, and we both are the envy of the entire English Department for writing these"

I'm not so sure how true any of that is, but it was nice nonetheless!!

P.S. The speech given by the head of the English Department, Katherine Eggert, was amazing. Her conclusion was brilliant, I hope to be like her someday. Using William Carlos Williams to conclude was brilliant; she is my idol.

I risked what I had to do,
therefore to prove
that we love each other
while my very bones sweated
that I could not cry to you
in the act.
Of asphodel, that greeny flower,
I come, my sweet,
to sing to you!
My heart rouses
thinking to bring you news
of something
that concerns you
and concerns many men. Look at
what passes for the new.
You will not find it there but in
despised poems.
It is difficult
to get the news from poems
yet men die miserably every day
for lack
of what is found there.
Hear me out
for I too am concerned
and every man
who wants to die at peace in his bed
besides.

I am Graduating Cum Laude in English

I am Graduating Cum Laude in English, originally uploaded by Bee-Butt.

I can not believe I'm holding this award in my hand!

Actually, getting the award, honestly, was not all that climactic.

I think there are so many more meaningful things that happened to me while getting through this college experience. You know those moments in your life when you're crying or just really happy and you know you're going to remember that moment forever? Well I had one of those when I walked off stage. My dad came over to me immediately and hugged me for a very long time. He cried the whole time and we hugged like 2 minutes straight. I can honestly say that when I walked off that stage with this green medal around my neck, and my award (pictured), that those things meant absolutely nothing to me. I can honestly say that the hug that my dad and I shared after I got off stage made the tedious and lengthy process of writing the thesis worth it. I love my dad so much.
I'm never going to forget that hug in the Glenn Miller Ballroom. Never.

On to the next ceremony!

Carrie, Mercedes and Jessie at Honors Recognition Ceremony

Carrie, Mercedes and Jessie at Honors Recognition Ceremony, originally uploaded by Bee-Butt.

I just got back from my first graduation ceremony! Jessie and Carrie surprised me by coming! At this ceremony, I received recognition from the Dean of Arts and Sciences and the Chancellor and my family and my favorite professors for my work with the thesis. My dad took this picture of Jessie, Carrie and I after I received my award. If you look closely you can see a green ribbon around my neck, awarding me for my cum laude honors distinction.
I am so lucky to have so many sweet friends and professors that care about me enough to come to this ceremony.
Dr. Anne Marie Pois and Dr. Hase were both there, and so was my favorite, Joanne Belknap!!
My dad hugged me right after I got off of the stage with my award, he started crying and we stood there hugging for a good 2 minutes. I teared up a bit.
Afterward, I went over to say thank you to Dr. Pois and she asked me "was that your dad that you were hugging over there?" And I said "Yes, it was" and she was like "Looks like he's very proud" and I said "Yes, he is...and I love him SO MUCH!!!"
I love you all!!
Now to get ready for the next ceremony at 4pm!! Women's Studies Graduation!!!

Hot

Being hot runs in the family. I just celebrated my great aunt and uncle's 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary and it was fabulous and fun! I love to party with my family!!!