First off, the Enzian (the local indie theater by me), has been dragging its feet lately to put up the upcoming schedule. They had Persepolis playing for a week. Then it was extended to two weeks. And now it's in it's third week (which I'm kind of glad of because I think I'm going to go see it again...I might cite it in my thesis because it is my thesis...or half of it, at least).

But after that, they only had a few limited engagement things (The Big Lebowski, Pink Floyd's The Wall).

But they have just put up two future events and I'm tres excited about both. Miss Petigrew Lives For a Day (which I think is a lousy title, but looks like a fabulous little movie) and The Band's Visit, which just looks cute and uplifting.

So yay.

In other news, I'm off to see Juno this morning. It's showing before noon, so it's $5, and I happen to have a $5 gift card for AMC, so it's FREE to me. I figured, in honor of it's big wins yesterday (Film Independent's Spirit Award for Best Picture and for Best Actress), and as a precursor to the Oscars this evening...

And I kinda don't want to work on my thesis for 12 hours again. So this will cut that down to about 6 hours today (because there's no way in hell I'm working through the Oscars).


This is kinda late in the game, but just for some fun...predictions!
Best Picture - No Country for Old Men (this one makes me nervous...I though it was much better than There Will Be Blood, but there's been so much hype for Blood lately)
Best Actor - Daniel Day Lewis
Best Actress - Marion Cotillard (but I'm putting Ellen Page as a back-up incase the Academy decides it hates biopics...which it never has, so...)
Best Supporting Actor - Javiar Bardem
Best Supporting Actress - Tilda Swinton (I'm going out on a limb for this one. I'm 85% sure it's going to Cate Blanchett, but I think it would be fabulous for Tilda to take it)
Best Director - Julien Schnabel (or at least he should win, if Best Picture goes to There Will Be Blood, they might give it to the Coens as a consolation)
Best Screenplay, Original - Diablo Cody (with Tamara Jenkins as a close second pick, adults loved The Savages)
Best Screenplay, Adapted - Christopher Hampton (I'm really unsure about this one, but I figure the Academy has to throw Atonement a bone for something, otherwise it'll probably go to the Coens)


As a final note, I went on weather.com to (duh) check the weather, and there was an American Airlines add to receive 60,000 bonus frequent flier miles if I book a ticket round-trip to London. Clearly, it's mocking me, because the first thing I did this morning was gaze longingly at my Europe pictures (I have 8 framed 5x7s hanging on my wall). While I was really admiring Barcelona today (it's different everyday), Barcelona is just a train ride away from London...


And if I don't leave now, I'll be late for Juno. Zut!

I'm becoming super paranoid about my flight tomorrow.

The forecast is calling for a 70% chance of snow in Chicago, to accumulate to 1 inch.

Now, that doesn't sound severe to me, though I am 100% expecting it to actually snow (if it doesn't, I'll need to thank some higher being for that).


But I've never flown in snow, and I don't think I've even flown in rain. I'm not really concerned about it, I'm sure the pilots are wonderful at that.

I am concerned, however, about a) not being able to take off, or b) not being able to land. I really don't want a delayed flight. I'm going to be up at about 5:15am so that I can be back in Deerfield (after deplaning, getting my bags, getting picked up by Zoe, and driving back) by noon.

That was my master plan. At noon, we can get lunch and possibly see a movie (Atonement is being postponed due to Molly Davis's work schedule, but I figure that Juno is a viable second option if we want to head into Evanston).


But if my flight is crazy delayed, I'm going to be sad and bored and possibly scared of all the terrible things that can happen in an airplane during inclement weather.

So here's to hoping it all goes without a hitch. I'll worry about my flight home closer to Dec. 24 (oh, and added pressure on that one...they might be holding off on a big family Christmas (eve) Dinner on my account. Oh gods of airline travel, please smile down on me.

I would like it noted that on a single flight from New York to Los Angeles, humans are exposed to as much radiation (in the form of gamma rays) as a chest X-ray*.

By this standard, I will partake in approximately two chest X-rays over the next 32 days. Do you think airport security will let me bring a lead blanket?


I'm beginning to rethink my frequent flyer status...



Also:
- The helium we use (for balloons or to make voices sound funny) is a product of alpha particle radioactive decay.
- Hot springs are a product of radioactive decay at the Earth's core.
- And coal power plants give off more radiation than nuclear power plants because we shield the nuclear plants so well, but don't worry about the side effects from the coal plants.

Radioactivity totally creeps me out.


*Source: Conceptual Chemistry textbook.

I'm about to head to Spring Hill, so I figured I'd post before I go under the radar (remember: internet is nonexistent at my sister's house). I'll have to take my laptop to Mama's house at some point this week.

However, I am uber excited because last night I purchased airline tickets for my Winter Break travels! Yay!

Itineraries:
Tampa -> Chicago (ORD)
Saturday, December 15

Chicago (ORD) -> Tampa
Monday, December 24


Tampa -> New York (LGA)
Sunday, December 30

New York (LGA) -> Tampa
Sunday, January 6


I was able to find non-stop flights for both legs, and they didn't cost me an arm and a leg (maybe just a couple of toes). It was looking sketchy for a while there, and I was concerned about a possible layover in Philadelphia, but all panned out for the best and now I have a killer vacation planned!

[Note: I'll probably edit this post later and to give a more fully realized itinerary of my whole Winter Break.]

AHHH!


Winter Break is stressing me out BIG time.

Flight from Tampa to O'Hare? $255.
Flight from Tampa to LaGuardia? $259.


What the fuck am I doing traveling at the most expensive time of the year?!

PLUS, when I'm home or in NYC, I'm going to have to spend a SHITLOAD of money. Like...on social events (movies, museums, etc.) and all of my food. Not to mention transportation. Whether it's public or I decide to do something crazy like rent a car (which would then add to money spent on parking, etc.), it's going to be a shitload of money because I plan on being in Deerfield every day.


Don't forget that starting December 1st, I'll have to pay for my health insurance.


I can easily see Winter Break costing me $1100. I just miss my friends...why does that have to be so expensive?



But I have been SO good at not spending a lot of extraneous money. Other than movies and groceries, I haven't been extravagant. I haven't even bought DVDs in the last three weeks. That's CRAZY for me. And I've been searching for sales when I do get excessive items (DVDs, hair dye).

Ugh. I fucking hate money issues.

And to think, I was going to buy some nice posters for the apartment (art.com is having a 50% sale).

I've had the itch to travel recently. This isn't anything new. I get it every once in a while. Sometimes it's strong, sometimes it's not.

The time it was the strongest, I bought a 33-day roundtrip plane ticket to Paris.

I don't think I'll be doing that again.


And then earlier, I found a really sweet Trip Planner for "student" (read: under age 26) travelers (for Zoe)...it's frickin' sweet. I was playing around with it earlier, and you can hop around the globe for pennies. Seriously...I made an itinerary hopping to 11 countries on 4 continents for about 2 months, and it was quoted as costing $2000 (I'm pretty sure that's just the flight, but still...).

Unfortunately, that added drastically to the urge. (I want to go to Auckland so badly now. I don't even know what's in Auckland.)


And just now? My travel song came on.

John Mayer's "3x5." It's the epitome of road trip/tooling around Europe solo song. Perfection incarnate. I listened to it often when I was by myself in France and Spain.

My passport is in order. Anyone want to buy me a vacation?

----

The upside is that planning Winter Break is helping to alleviate the itch. Dates are too tentative to expand upon now, but it seems that Chicago and New York will be two separate trips, and not the city-hopping I was hoping for (which would have saved me about $200, too). Alas, I cannot hop to NYC if Candace is still going to be in Chicago.

My winter break plans will hopefully include time spent in Chicago and New York. However, I currently have many restrictions for my 31 days off.

Specifically...
December 7: Last day of finals
December 8-14: Dave, Katie, and Samantha at Disney
December 25: Christmas...I should be in Spring Hill
December 28-January 1: Michael and Anthony at Disney
January 1-4: Michael and Anthony in Spring Hill
January 7: First day of Spring Semester

This leave me roughly from the 12th to the 24th to get to Chicago and New York. But I need to see when Candace will be in either place. And as an added kink, Fayanne and Brad will be coming down at some point.

Any bets that they decide to come during those 12 days that I am currently expendable?

I'm hoping that they arrive in the time after Christmas, though. It would work so nicely with my plans.


Note to self: coordinate with Candace and start checking airfare.


On the upside, I can get some nonstop flights from Tampa -> O'Hare -> LaGuardia -> Tampa for about $300. That sucks, but it's $100 per flight. Not terrible. And nonstop.

My only issue...where the hell am I going to stay in Chicago? Caitlin has graciously offered her futon in Hyde Park...but getting from O'Hare to Hyde Park sucks ass. And getting from Hyde Park to anywhere else is going to suck. I wish I could have a car while there...

I have travel plans!!

On Sunday, May 13th, I will be leaving Spring Hill bright and early (probably 4am, so not so bright, but very early) and traveling as far as White House, Tennessee (outside of Nashville), where I booked a hotel room for the night.

On Monday, May 14th, I'll be driving the rest of the way to Deerfield/Riverwoods and staying through the week and weekend (and attending the DHS Theater Night).

On Monday, May 21st, I'll be leaving Deerfield (again, ridiculously early) and driving to Kennesaw, GA (outside of Atlanta), where I have booked a second hotel.

I'll return to Florida on Tuesday, May 22nd.

Dudes - hotel rooms are expensive. Seriously? I think Disney hotels are cheaper than the Holiday Inn Express and Best Western that I booked in Podunk, Tennessee and Georgia, respectively.


But! I get to go home(-ish).

And now, I'm attacking people's away messages to ensure they know I will be in town. Yay for friends, eh?