Bingo!...well not so much.

This week has definitely been a little rough. My dad's anniversary is about to come up and I've been a little emotional lately so it was necessary no mandatory to have fun this weekend! So as promised I went to Greensboro Friday evening with the girls to play and enjoy the amusement of Green Queen Bingo. I was a bingo virgin but happy to be sitting with some fellow bingo virgins from Elon's Spectrum peeps including our advisor Dr. Ringelberg. It was fun to watch the drags - especially Big Shirli Stevens - do their thing and anticipate losing bingo. I was close about five outta ten times to win but nope. Here's some evidence of my losses:

 So close, off by one.

 My friend Jamile and the tallest Drag at Green Queen Bingo

Big Shirli

Although I would've loved to continue on the night watching a movie or hanging out I knew better. When you have to be somewhere at 8am the next morning get your butt to bed! And that's exactly what I did (after I watched an episode of The West Wing...so addictive). Rise and shine at 645am. I got my stuff for rugby together with the idea that I'd bring everything I'd need as if I'd be playing in case Jamie (Scrum captain) needed an extra player. Lo and behold my surprise when I find out that I'm "sipped" and will be playing today. I'm glad I thought ahead because I would've been royally screwed.

It was nice to ride with BGraham and Hogan especially since our car wasn't driving like a manic down I-40. We reached NC State and warmed up before doing our usual team bonding routine. Today was a Round Robin meaning three teams would be playing throughout the day: Elon (EWR), UNCGreensboro and NC State. Luckily we didn't have to play first but boy were we tired by the end of our first game. We did have a lot of tris (goals--CashMoney/Merit) and beautiful kicks (Smurf and Anna). I was appointed as eightman for UNCG after one of their girls was taken away by an ambulance. It was fun to try and tackle my fellow teammates. They were a great group of girls and I hope they take up my offer to come play a friendly scrimmage @ Elon.

 Merit (L2) under the bleachers 

 Former Scrum cap. Bmoore came to visit us

 And former backline player Totie came too!

 Hello lovely ladies!

Some of the newest players came to watch their first rugby game and

suppor EWR!

NC State = big girls who curse a lot. We made a good effort to hold them back and the scrums were really great but all in all NC State won the second game. It would've been nice to meet some of them to see a different side to these girls but considering Courtney was injured, couldn't drive and I volunteered to drive someone else's car I ended up driving a few EWR freshman (and Ursula) back to Elon before the social. The ride back was fun since Ursula was my DJ and we rocked out to Nsync, Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, Bewitched, Kim Possible, Sisqo, and so many other 90s hits. The L1s in the backseat hardly knew these songs and it made Urs and I feel incredibly old. Oh well at least it was an amusing ride back to campus. 

Saturday night was quite and short. I was in pain and popped a few pills before going to sleep. I did manage to eat, shower and watch two episodes of TWW before I plopped down on my bed and ZZZzzz-ed. Sunday was a working day and I'm so exhausted from reading so much. The sad thing is I'm an incredibly slow reader - not as bad as I once was thanks to summer reading - and it delays my research schedule so much. I wish I had more time and more willingness to stay up late but I can't. I listen to my body and when its tired I sleep. In my mind school is when I'll be able to sleep and create good habits not when I'm working so hard M-F and having a social, active and adventurous life after school. 

 A line out

 TACKLE!!!

 Avoid injuries please.

 TACKLE!!!!

NC State game

Elon Poll Press Conference & A Silent Film

This past Monday I woke up at the crack of dawn to get on the shuttle to Charlotte. It was such an interesting discussion among some very prestigious panelists at the Elon Poll press conference at The Charlotte Observer. Last week, Professor Ferandez and Professor Husser were the leaders for the student run poll to see how NC was likely to vote for President Obama vs Rep. candidate Mitt Romney. I had the opportunity to see the newsroom (hearing the theme song of HBO's newest summer series "The Newsroom") and speak to Dan Gergen. You can see more in the article below: EPoll DNC Press conference OR check out another article focused on the students HERE

 'Where the enemy works'... (Almost Famous - a paraphrased line related to journalism)

 Elon students

 Groovy art wall

 The Panelists

The following evening me and my girls (Lindsay, Jamile and Dionne) went to Chapel Hill after a head aching senior seminar and long day waiting for it to rain (dressed in rain boots and an huge IKEA umbrella walking around in sweat). We saw A Silent Film - a British alternative band Lindsay and I saw last fall with Civil Twilight - and had a blast. Now that we are all legal to drink we had fun experiencing drinks especially Dionne who hadn't ever tasted a rum and coke. It was so fun hanging out people watching after the gig to see if we could get a picture with the band. Robbie, the lead singer, came right up to me and we got chatty (more like I kept asking questions to soften him up for my favor) and was such a good chap getting all the guys together. So merch to take home and we reminisced on the drive home.

 From left to right: Cat, Jamile, Dionne and Lindsay

 Gals with the guys

Merch!

Wedding Bells, Party Hopping and Range Shooting

Its been a wild yet fun two weekends so far....

Starting with last Friday when my mom and I went to the nail salon to get our pedi mani done for Kerry's wedding. Saturday was the big day from a very early hour. We went to get my mom's hair done and later went to the Coach House Diner off of JFK Blvd in Union City for a quick bite. I'm glad I remembered that the invitation said the ceremony started at 230pm not 3pm. However, as tradition goes the Purtell's have been notorious for doing things later or just late. No bother but it freaked mom out a bit when she realized she had even less time. An hour and a half more or less we made it to the church and lo and behold no bridal party in sight.

 Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Herandez

 The most beautiful Maid of Honor - Sweta in a gorgeous purple dress; 

she's her own princess

 Beautiful bridesmaids - Kristy, Madiha, and Hadiha 

 Congrats!!!!

 Kiss, Kiss, KISS

The service was beautiful and Kerry and her mom, Mary, looked gorgeous. (Way to go Aunt Mary, the dress looked amazing!) A close family friend, Ed, was so cute getting so pissed off that the photographer was blocking his shot using his disposable camera. Although the photographer made up for it having a photo booth at the reception selling $1 photos.

Like these:

 The band at the reception hall

 Uncle Rene and Grandpa

Ed and Aunt Mary

The reception location was so authentic to our family's tradition. Marbella's was the perfect setting and the band was great! It was so nice to have both families in the same room full of laughs, tears, and happy hearts. Kerry and Chris looked so happy and it seemed to me like the actually act of getting married didn't really matter because they worked together effortlessly. As an outsider looking in I would've assumed them to have been married awhile. Its in the genes I'm convinced: Mary and Gerry Purtell 35 yrs and Ricardo and Isabelle probably 25+yrs.

 Aunt Mary and Uncle Gerry

 Chris and Kerry and cake!

 "My Key Lime Pie" Father Daughter dance

 Bridesmaids danced for the newlyweds and the bride decided to join.

My cuz and I (in blue)

After we returned home and rested for the night it wasn't long before I was on the road in a rental car alone driving down I-95 heading south to Elon. I made it in record time: 8hrs. Rooming with Laura is perfect and I thinking positively about this living situation. Classes were extremely overwhelming but I made it through. Now its a matter of working hard and keeping myself sane. Adding some fun in there is necessary. Like last night when the girls and I went out to a 90's themed b-day party. Though that party was a bust we walked around and observed other activities, I even came across Jamie (new VP for rugby) at Trollinger. A cookout run and sleepy eyes concluded the night.

Today I went to a shooting range with some guy friends. It was a carefree afternoon wearing headphones, goggles,  and rifles. I didn't think I'd do well but I was determine not to let the guys intimidate me. I so needed a distraction and I am so grateful for this unique opportunity. Hey, its not everyday that I can get in a car drive down the road for 45mins and spend a few hours shooting guns back in Jersey. I have truly come to appreciate the culture here in NC and I can say without a doubt that when I graduate in May (knock on wood) I will have had a true college experience.