Author Archives: Laura
>Oxymoronic
>
I don’t really know what to write about.
I have no anecdotes to note concerning the sketchy streets of DC, as I no longer live there. I can’t complain about waitressing, since that’s long over. And I can’t comment on any mishaps or interesting characters at the gym, since exercise has apparently been long over as well.
This month is definitely not going to be a boring one, it’s just not exactly blog-worthy. I’ve fallen back in love and am rebuilding a relationship. I’m listening to Big Tree songs on repeat to build confidence and feel comfortable with their music. I’m seeing family and friends. I’m resting. But, like I said, I’m not about to indulge about my love-life with the internet world, or share how I’ve spent the majority of today on the couch..eating (too late?)
So instead, I will just continue to write about myself. This whole blog-thing is still a bit uneasy for me, but I’ve come to accept that if you don’t want to read about LAURA SCHWECHERL, then, well..don’t. But if you do, you’re sort of weird, but by all means, continue on..
…..
I’ve recently realized that i contradict myself quite often. Not in the sense that I immediately say one thing and do another, but I have certain values and goals that I stick to, along with other idiosyncracies that are dissonent with these values and goals. For instance!
I am extremely active and extremely lazy.
I will run five miles at the gym. I’ll lift weights, hike a mountain, and work on my feet all day. Yet, I refuse to wash my face before bed if I’m too tired, I often wont get up from the televsion to find the remote and change the channel (I’ll sit and suffer through the hour-long infomerical), and wont even fathom going upstairs to put on a pair of socks even if my feet are freezing.
I judge books by their covers and wine by their bottles.
I am well educated. Heck, I’m a college graduate! I consider myself fairly intelligent, yet I still only buy books that have interesting covers. Even if I heard the book is amazing, I wont read it unless it has a cool cover (texture is an extra plus). Same goes with wine. While price is most important, looks are a close second. I bought a bottle of wine just because it was called “pancake” and had an absurd smiley face on the front. I bought another that had a purple giraffe. Both wines sucked, but their bottles WEREAWESOME
I ride motocycles in dresses and birkenstocks.
I have a keen sense of direction and always walk the wrong way.
I’m good at knowing where I’m going. Give me a map or read off some directions and I can figure out my way around a new town or city. Yet no matter WHAT, I tend to repeatedly walk in the wrong direction when I exit the NYC subways. I usually walk atleast one avenue or two streets in the wrong direction before I realize I am..just..so wrong.
I am extremely patient and have the worst attention span.
I’ve lucked out with the patience gene. Stick me on a line to fill a prescription and I can whistle and wait for 30 minutes. I’ll sit on public transportation for hours and find contentment just staring out the window, and I can usually fill my days with excitement prior to seeing family, friends, or a loved one. But at the same time, ask me to sit and watch a 2 1/2 hour movie and I’ll be extremely hesitant. I love to run, but I have to play an endless amount of mind games when I’m on the tredmill to trick myself into staying on the machine. I can only read one chapter of a book at a time, regardless if its 20 or 200 pages (another contradiction…). And concerts? I’m usually wondering when the encore is going to happen after the second song. Le sigh.
I hate people that constantly text…and I text them to tell them that.
No commentary needed.
I love vegetables almost as much as I love butter.
Maybe this one isn’t so bad. I’ve learned over the past few years that I just really love vegetables. Is that weird? I’m not crazy, I’m not dieting, I just…really..like them! That’s great! But, as much as I love cauliflower and carrots, I love butter. Not margarine, smart balance, or that i-cant-believe-it’s-not-thats-such-a-lie-of-course-you-can-tell-stuff. Butter. When I was younger I would sneak into the fridge and cut off slabs from the butter stick. I’d try to covertly eat butter packets at restaurants. Now that I’m older, I would take a piece of bread and butter into the bathroom when at work and eat my “lunch.” I think that butter on muffins is necessary, even if they’re baked with two sticks already. And I would continue to sneak into the fridge and cut off some slabs if I did not know about that whole artery clogging “thing.”
I love to travel and hate to fly
I really want to see the world. I want to go to Sengal, and I want to go to India, France, Switzerland, and Argentina. Washington, Wyoming, Alaska and New Zealand are up there, too. My dream job is to be a traveling journalist, or a travel writer, or a “travel-something-or-other.” Problem is, I hate to fly. Absolutely Despise. I convince myself everytime I’m on a plane that it’s going to crash, which is never fun. I can never be completely sober on a plane or I’ll go crazy. But, I’ll do it. I’ll do it everydayfor the rest of my life if given the opportunity to travel. Will flying more frequently relieve myself from my fright of flying? Doubtful. But I’ll do it.
I hate talking about myself and I have a blog where I write about myself.
Another one that goes without saying
And now, I have to pee since I just drank an entire bottle of seltzer. And I should put on socks, since my feet are icecubes. But… I’m too lazy to get up. So instead, I’ll stay on the couch and watch The Bachelor with my mom, since I sort of hate the show and contradictions in my life create…harmony.
>To miss or not to miss?
>
Things I will miss:
-Living with three dudes and a dog
-Coffee shop hopping as I do my internship work
-Lazy mornings making coffee, doing work, and having the television to myself
-Making good, hard earned money
-Living in the minority
-Walking everywhere
-The plethora of happy hours DC offers
-My gym membership
Things I will not miss:
-My gym membership
-The television dudes watch (monster truck rallies, wrestling, etc)
-The town of Bethesda, its inhabitants, and those that wish to dine at Le Pain Quotidien
-Le Pain Quotidien
-Being at Le Pain Quotidien at 8am on a Saturday, still drunk from the night before.
-All of DC’s sketch balls…that wanted to date me.
-The metro (:doodoodoodoo:, step back, door’s closing, step back..)
-The lack of a good deli sandwich
Looks like the will’s and will not’s are at a tie. Must mean this move is just plain neutral.
>dear DC
>Dear D.C.,
Please note that you are not situated in the American South; in the winter you WILL get some snow . Please start importing more plows, shovels, salt, etc, so when there is a five inch “blizzard,” the whole city does not fall into mayhem.
Check out this part of a news article published in “The Hill”:
“This time around, the D.C. area received between five and eight inches of snow, but it caused massive traffic backups and hundreds of thousands of power outages in the metro area. New York City was hit considerably harder — it received up to 18 inches of snow.”
Hundreds of thousands of power outages for 5-8 inches? So…since NYC got 18 inches, there must be an apocalypse up there, right?
This is my last, and best bit of advice I can give before I bid me adieu. Step up your winter game, D.C.
>Things that cost an absurd amount of money and, likewise, make me mad
>For those of you that know me, you know I hate to spend money. For those of you CREEPERS that don’t know me but just love reading this oh-so-charming blog…..well- I hate to spend money. Apparently my brother is frugal like me, but he is an actual person with a real salary and relatively cheap rent… so he has no excuse! But alas, when it comes to taking the bills out of the wallet, I get flustered, and slightly panicky. Especially when it comes to things that are way more expensive than they should be.
Again, I decided to make a list. Lists are easier to read. No one likes long paragraphs, especially without photos. Boring.
Things That Cost An Absurd Amont Of Money And, Likewise, Make Me Mad
1)Gym memberships.
Oof. I just cancelled mine today because I’m leaving DC, and I was unaware of their 30-day notice. So, on top of a $25 cancellation fee, I have to pay up until the 18th of February…which means I’m spening an extra $50 for no reason! And on top of that, I have paid $70 a month, plus a $50 joining-fee, all because I am an active kid who loves to run a few miles every day. I understand that the high costs cover all the perks gyms offer: yoga classes, spinning, trainers, weird bike simulators, intimidating weight machines, showers, saunas, pools, water fountains, medicine balls, and mountains and mountains of towels, but STILL…..tis a lot of money. I actually went this evening, and they were hosting an open house with drinks and snacks. They had free chipotle. I dodged for that shit. I guess that’s where my cancellation fee is headed.
2)Corking Fees
Alcohol is expensive enough at restaurants; your mind is skewed to believe a $25 bottle of wine is cheap, when in reality it’s probably sitting on the shelves in a liquor store for $7.99. That’s why BYOB seems like a fairly good idea, until the restaurant decides to throw you a left hook and charge you to open up the bottle. Want to bring a nice bottle of your own? That’ll be $20!
3)Bathing Suits
Bathing suits can be preeeetty expensive. We’re talking over fifty bucks! And for what? It normally consists of two itty-bitty pieces of nothing, but they can charge you a ton because bathing suits are arguably a necessary item of clothing. The worst is when you are under the impression that the whole suit is a certain amount of money, only to realize each piece is individually priced. Sigh.
4)Tolls
Cars are expensive. Gas is expensive. Insurance in expensive. Parking can be expensive. Let us just drive on the roads for free, will ya?
5)Cover Charges
Like I mentioned before, alcohol at restaurants is expensive. Same goes with alcohol at bars. Knowing that I’m going to probably spend some money when I go to a bar, I really don’t want to have to pay just to enter! There was a bar in Saratoga Springs that I never went to because there was a $2 cover. Yeah, it’s that bad.
6)Cauliflower
I like cauliflower. I really reallly reallly like cauliflower. Unfortunately, it is pretty pricey. And for some reason, the grocery store by my house is always out of the regular cauliflower, so I have to buy the organic brand that’s even more money. I title this: the woes of a middle-class white girl.
7)Amtrak
They (whoever “they” are) are upping the cost of trains these days. If you thought flying was expensive, try a small trip from NYC to DC. If you book a day or two before, it can cost you upwards of $200. $200!!! For a 300mile trip. Oy vey. I think I’ll walk.
>A route stretching its borders
>After talking with my new bandmates over skype the other day, I learned about our tour-route; many of the cities we are performing in are places that Nic and I traveled to back in June. I immediately drew a map of a rough idea of where we’re headed, and compared it to Camping Out in America’s journey:
*Ha, I just realized I drew the starting and ending of the tour in DC, not New York. MY BAD
Similar in certain ways: we’re stopping in Boulder and Denver, driving through Flagstaff, Taos, and parts of Oklahoma. Still, this next venture stretches out June’s ever so slightly: we’re driving down the coast of California, we’re not skipping out on Kansas, and we’re going all the way to Austin to play at SxSW!! Then, we’ll see places like Mississippi and Georgia before headed back up the familiar mid-east coast, ending in Brooklyn, NY.
How else will this be different? No tents this time, but rather hard floors, couches, and (hopefully) roofs. There will probably be more eating out, and definitely more drinking. Long hours of driving and rehearsing and performing, rather than driving and hiking, sitting and reflecting. We wont need to stop for gas, but rather restaurants to fill up our engine with vegetable oil. The car will smell like grease, not damp tents and hiking boots.
More Similarites? I get to rediscover parts of America on a wildly new adventure. I get to make new friends, challenge myself, and follow another passion of mine. Last summer I was able to reconnect with my love of the outdoors. Now- it’s time for music.
Sleeping on Floors in America: coming soon.
>BIG news
>Okay. So I have been subtlety dropping information about this, but I guess it is time for some real information.
Long story kinda short. Nicole’s friend from Stonehill is in a band called Big Tree, and she saw an event on facebook they created; they need a singer for a tour they are doing across the country. She sent me the link and I quickly responded, not really expecting to hear back. First off, the band is based in the Bay Area. And I’m in DC. And second off, well…I am all the way in DC, and they are all the way in California. Fast forward through a few emails, and I sent them a video of me singing harmony to one of their songs. Fast forward again to some more information on the road trip, expectations, questions, concerns, and..well…I’m in. I’m in a band, both singing and hopefully playing trumpet! As my mom likes to hear: “I am going on tour!”
The one tricky part to all of this is, if you haven’t gathered, I am all the way across the country right now. I am flying out to San Francisco about a week before we go on tour, so until then, I am learning all the songs on my own and sending along recordings so the band knows I’m preparing and can offer some constructive criticism until we can all rehearse together. I’m flying out February 26th, and we should end up in New York in the beginning of April.
The other part to this equation is my current home in DC. Don’t get me wrong–I am so happy with my decision to move down here and really feel like I’ve grown in the process: finding a place to live, creating a new social circle, and going through two internships and a job. Not to mention, I’ve learned my way around a city that I’ve only briefly visited two or three times in my entire life. In a few short months, I learned the rhythms, language and culture of this new city. I’ve appreciated its immense diversity, laughed at its alphabetical street names that are out of order, and scoffed at its poorly planned subway system. I hate that I can’t eat on the metro, and love that I have escalators to take me up to the ground. I hate that there are no sky scrapers, yet love that I have several parks surrounding me. There’s a free zoo; gas stations don’t sell beer. This is our nation’s capital; there is crime everywhere.
That being said, there is nothing keeping me here. I can work from anywhere with my current internship, and lo and behold- waitressing sucks. So, rather than trying to sublet my room for one or two months when I’m “on tour,” I am going to give it up. I am going to embrace this next opportunity and see where it takes me, without having to worry about coming back here to pay rent and serve tables to snooty Bethesdians. If this gig takes me to the grammy’s-well, awesome. If it takes me back to Northport, that’s fine too.
Once I learn more about where we will be touring, I will pass along this information for anyone that may be interested in hearing Big Tree! Until then, the link above brings you to their tunes, so take a listen!
>New Year’s Resolutions
>So…now that it is oficially 2011, New Year’s resolutions anyone?
I know I know, sometimes they get a bad rep. For example, take this comment from an anonymous blogger who so thoughtfully wrote: “why waste your time thinking about the future? Lose ten pounds, think positively, volunteer more often, stop being mean to your sister….yadayadayada.” True, thoughful blogger. But let me fill you in on something.
The trick with NYR’s is not to aim too high; we tend to create these huge goals for ourselves and then always fall short. Here is an example from another blog (I just kept the best ones in; the list was longer):
- Save enough money to buy a home
- Prepare body, relationship, and bank account for eventual pregnancy.
- Learn to speak Chinese
- Write the ******* book, which is due in February.
- Write the ******* book, which is due in September.
- Keep freelance writing at least once a month.
- Get back into ideal racing shape and run a 1:55 Half Marathon in March.
- Race a sprint or Olympic triathlon in the summer.
- Do yoga at least three times a week.
Hmm. Maybe she can accomplish all of these goals, and if that’s the case, she might as well kick Obama out of the White House. But seriously, write two books, run a half-marathon, buy a home, have a baby, AND learn Chinese? Is this list somehow related to that oh so clever quote, “shoot for the moon, and even if you don’t make it, you’ll land among the stars?” Because this list is definitely a “shoot for the moon” kinda deal. If this woman is not a niece or second cousin of God, she might just end up with all those stars.
This is why I decided to create a list of resolutions that I know I can fulfill, which will inadvertently boost my self-esteem. Win win.
My 2011 New Year’s Resolution List
-drink more H20
-work at a restaurant until February and then quit
-join a band and go on tour
-learn to spell my last name backwards
-develop a finer taste for whiskey
-do not create more than six New Year’s resolutions.
lrehcewhcs, lrehcewhcs, lrehcewhcs
I have quite a good feeling about this.
>10 things of 2010
Around this time, I have noticed that in lieu of New Year’s Resolution Lists, more and more people have started writing Favorite Moments Lists. I am totally a fan of this: why waste your time thinking about the future? Lose ten pounds, think positively, volunteer more often, stop being mean to your sister….yadayadayada. We rush into the new year before it even gets here, never stopping to reflect on what will soon be no longer! I mean, 2010’s gonna be gone forever-what better way to remember it then by…writing a list..?
Rather than naming this the “TOP TEN” moments of my 2010, I will leave 2010 with simply, “10 Really Nice Moments of 2010.” These may not be the best moments of my past year, but they were certainly, well, nice.
10 Really Nice Moments of 2010
1. The Accent’s 30th Reunion Concert
On the day before my 22nd birthday, the Accents, my acapella group at Skidmore, held a 30th reunion concert. AKA, freshman accents to senior citizen accents…ages 20-200 (roughly), singing songs together that go back decades. A powerhouse of women on stage.
And then partying with their babies as the clock struck midnight and I turned 22.
2. Finishing my Anthro Senior Sem Paper
I spent a majority of my spring semester slaving over my thesis paper for anthropology, which was on analyzing rhythm in Ghanaian music and showing how it reflects and reproduces rhythms in their daily lives. After a million hours of classes, workshops, library sesh’s, mental breakdowns, and looping a twenty-second clip of a funeral drum sequence, I was finally DONE. I was on the second floor of the library in a window seat, and finally compiled a portfolio with my thesis, three other papers I had written, a reflection piece, and my resume. I clicked send, did a little happy dance in my cubicle, and walked home. I took a nap.
3. Graduating with the right name
I gradated from college. That was pretty cool. But walking across stage and hearing “Schwecherl” pronounced correctly was even more cool.
4)Waking up in the Rockies.
Just look at this picture. This was me and Nic’s first night camping on our road trip, and we were greeted by a wonderful mountain chill in June as we woke up. The dry chill, the smell of moss and dirt, the peaks surrounding me: I felt incredibly at peace.
5. Driving into Arches National Park
Okay, now look at this picture.
Imagine driving and then all of a sudden seeing this in the distance? And as you continue turning bends, you keep seeing more arches and fins popping up in the distance? Totally natural, yet completely surreal. I cried. Yep. This shit is beautiful.
6) A trip to Florida to visit my grandma
I had a little mother-daughter-daughter action this summer as well; my mom and I flew (by ourselves!!) to visit my grandma in Florida. We went to the grocery store for my gma atleast three times to buy her wine. We shopped, went out to eat, and sat around talking for hours. We also went to the beach and took this picture. It was so lovely.
7) Getting an internship at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art
Desparate to have ANY sort of job/internship that reflected my four hard (and expensive) years at college, I was thrilled when I finally found out I landed an internship at the NMAfA. I had to wait about two weeks after I “thought” I had it…and was in Vermont with my parents when I was finally given confirmation. The position meant more than an internship- it also meant moving to DC and starting a new life. It didn’t take me long to realize that my supervisor was horrible and the bureaucracy inside the museum’s walls disheartening; I quit less than two months later. But still, I’m in DC! And that moment when I got the call was definitely..”nice,” which is why it is on my “nice moments” list.
8) Seeing Sufjan Stevens live.
Sufjan, are you there? Will you marry me? It’s okay that we haven’t met, for I’m sure we’ll get along just fine for the rest of our lives. By the way, I heard you perform at the Beacon Theatre this past November. You were marvelous. I love you. And, just so ya know, “I do.” -Laura
9) A walk in the snow
Just yesterday, I was walking from Brooklyn toward to L train to get to Manhattan; here is the aftermath of the east coast’s “White Christmas.” I walked by McCarren Park in Greenpoint and fell in love all over again with the snow. It was crunching under my feet as the sun kept me comfortably warm. I was listening to something cute on my ipod. This moment was also when I decided to make this list, so I figured I had to include it.
10) A new adventure
This final “nice” moment is something that happened today. I officially found out that I am going on another adventure across America. Instead of hiking, I will be singing. I’ll keep you posted…
I’m off to go ski and greet 2011 up in Vermont. If all goes well, this trip might make it to my “Top Ten Pleasant Experiences of 2011” list. We shall see..
Camping Out In America 