survival of the fittest

so every day i have to remind myself that i made a choice to be here and that everything is a challenge that will just make me stronger. it's not that desperate sounding, but its my positive motivational moment to myself before i get out of bed, to actually get out. for example, some days i forget to close my window before i go to bed so when i wake up its mad cold and i don't want to get out and i have to run to my clothes to stick them in my bed with me for a few minutes so they can warm up.

its only fall in boston and already the CRISP weather is getting to me. however, i am slowly staying in love with the city. the architecture in the downtown area is gorgeous and where i live in JP it is eclectic. i love the public transportation (which i mentioned before) but i also think it's soothing to go home on it, even when i have to wait a long time for a train or for a bus. it's not too bad. i think i have yet to establish my morning routine, so some days i almost have a heart attack on the way to school because i'm thinking that i won't make it.

it happened last week. i was approximately 3.5 minutes late and i got an ocurrence.

ocurrence - essentially, a three strikes, you're out system that keeps all corps members in check. if you're late, you get an ocurrence. and you get a verbal warning the first time. second time something bad happens (e.g. forgetting to turn something in, missing a uniform part, being out of line, jaywalking in uniform, more than one bracelet on each wrist, more than one set of earrings [and they have to be studs], etc) you sign off on it with your program manager. third time you have to talk to a site director. and fourth time really, you're gone.

this is my second ocurrence since opening day, which was september 28th. at this rate, i could be gone by december, but i am hoping that won't be the case. i know myself and my lateness so i am definitely taking care of business by not being late anymore.

this weekend, my baby brother came to visit for an hour on his way home from new hampshire to richmond, va. it was nice. then i walked from south station to forest hills station, near where i live. it took about 4 hours i think, but it was a good walk and i got to see a lot of the city. i'm going to add some of the pictures that i took on my long walk up here soon. it gave me a lot of alone time, time to not think and just listen to music and wander. as much as i love people, sometimes i need to get away.

then i went to the JP lantern parade, which was super beautiful. basically, a bunch of JP residents get together and bring homemade lanterns to the pond. the lanterns are usually made out of 2L soda bottles with the top cut off and covered in tissue paper designs and then there is a candle inside. so when it gets dark, there is a parade around the pond and it looks really pretty because it reflects off the water and its dark and there are tons of cute little kids every where and since its near halloween they come in costume (run-on).