Greetings from Europe

Hecticly waiting for fall break

2005-10-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

I never post in here, so i thought i would just for once. Things are going well, I have been quite busy lately with finals and midterms only a few weeks apart everything has been hectic. But I think things are slowing down now. I have a few more papers to finish up, and to start and then I will be in the clear. Then I will have fall break to rest and relax while the dorms are empty and people are away. I am looking forward to a week of quiet and peace.
Regardless there is a party tonight that I should be getting to.

just a quick one

2005-09-22T11:48:00.000-07:00

I am in the middle of a class right now so this isn't going to be a long entry. I have been a little sick this week, stuffy nose and the like, but psydophedrine has gottten me though. I Haven't done much all week, tonight at 11 about twelve kids are going to octoberfest in Munich and i really would like to go, you know once in a life time and such, but i dont have extra money like that. I have some work i should focus on as well though, so it isn't all bad.
Got to go, i will update tomorrow with more.
Donald.

stuffed peppers and drunkiness.

2005-09-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

Hello. It's Sunday. I just finished my paper on International Relations and now i am getting ready to study some Dutch and go out tonight for a few hours. Last night we went to the cojacabana(sp? in dutch..wierd) for a girl from websters 21 and angie you would have been loving it, there was a stripper at the bar. pretty much drank all night, which led me to dance all night which led me to sweat all night (It must have been ahundred and ten inside) and then everyone cam back to Kstraat and we hung out here. now i am tired and i woke up stale drunk this morning. but the good news is i only spendt five euros. for dinner last night i made stuffed peppers and quesidillas. mucho bueno.

All the Cardinal's games

2005-09-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

So last night we went to the bar to meet some girls from webster, So we drank a few and after a while this guy started hitting on my friend, and you could see she was clearly uncomfortable and she indicated that our friend, you know play the boyfriend for a minute, and he did, and then the guy goes on about how insecure all american men are with thier women and the like. but it was great because our other friendhad over heard him speaking spanish earlier so she pretty much told him what was up in spanish and such. but she totally caught him by suprise with the spanish and was like "she doesn't want you here-go away." pretty much. it was sweet.
so after that happening, the girls wanted to go dancing and we really didn't, so instead after a few of them went in to dance we went to Sianai's to eat something and drink some beer.
After our meal we continued on the way to the dorms and as we turn the corner I see sitting in the middle of the sidewalk lit up by a street light like it was in spotlight,,,,a nice baturus 3 speed bike, with handbrakes and a quality copper/brown finish. No lock; no wheel lock or chain. So after a microsecond of internal struggle I decided that if I didn't take this obviously abandoned bike, on the sidewalk of a street where no shops or bars or stores were open for at least 400 meters someone else would and this bike was destined to be mine, and now I have it. Which brings me to today.
Me and andy rode around Leiden all morning chilling on our bikes, we went to the park and I talked to this Dutch girl for about 25 minutes trying to get her number but that didn't work and we decided to see what the girls were up to. They weren't home, but we called them and they were at a park I had never been to.(that one with the statue, apparently.) so We eventually found the place and chilled on the yard for a while with them.
Around six, We decided to head back to the dorms and see what what brewing and decided to cook some dinner. Andy cooked noodles and they were the bomb. good eatings tomorrow as well. Then we were sitting around trying to decide what to do and we decide to watch a movie, but we decided to call the girls first.
So I am walking back to my room to get the phone to call Veronica and invite them over the phone starts to ring. It is Veronica and she asks me if we are at our dorms. I say Yes and she says good, then let us in. freaky. like a single brain length. So i let them in and we watched family guys and chilled to some music for a bit before they headed back. Oh yeah also I now get all the stl Cardinal games in my dorm room on my computer. my friend has the online subscription, and i have his password. Sweet.
Other then that nothing new is going on, I just finished my dutch homework, and need to go get the book tomorrow for the class. I have an IR paper to write tomorrow but my week is looking to be pretty solid. Regards,
Donald

News Update

2005-08-30T02:26:00.000-07:00

Hello. early Tuesday morning, and I am just waking up, I have to read a chapter for my class tonight and write a precis on it so this will be a pretty short entry. Today we got new internet connection, and I am pretty excited about the speedy new connection. School is good I have a new class this week called Africa: The Empire Strikes Back. So I am excited about that. No other news to report My classes are going well, and I am having fun. I have an appointment with my advisor and I will talk to him about a bunch of things, like residency while I am here, and internships(I think there is one in the Haag for the ITCY), also I need to follow up on that whole Health insurance thing while I am here. Other than that things are going well, allthough I wish that my loan would come through and I could breath easier about that. I really need to get a bike so I can get around more, and also some minutes on my phone.
Last night Veronica and Joyce had dinner/ a party and it was delicious/ awesome. There was curry chicken, pesto, pasta, salad, beer(hineken and amstel), wine, ice cream, and pie. it was great.
Mark I have met another icon, well a bunch of them but this kid might take the cake. He reminds me so much of screetch its not even funny. I am going to have to have video of this kid for full effect. then he will be knighted on the spot.
Keep on keepin' on.
Donald

the uneventful weekend.

2005-08-29T06:17:00.000-07:00

Hello today is monda, and it has been a long weekend. On friday we had a BBQ at school, and I volenteered to man the grill, which was good because i got unlimited food, and unlimited beer. Needless to say when the BBQ ended around midnight I stumbbled drunk to the Krueg and kept drinking until late in the morning. On Saturday I woke up feeling awesome(not joking, no hang over) and we began planning the ignugural K-Straat dinner party. We cooked all the left over meat we brought home plus I made some mac and cheese and we got beers. lots of them and the girls from skelp. came over and we partied until late in the morning again. On suday I woke up around two and was hanging out at LP around 430 when Eian(sp?) came by and we walked over to Skelp, where he lives and played video games for a bit, then I went downstairs to Veronica and Joyce's room to find out if veronica had found my key(I lost it the night before, but I've found it since then.) she didn't but her and joyce came over to use the internet and I rode Joyce around on the back of her bike(its not that hard gina, gosh trust me) and we went to K-Straat, where I did nothing the rest of the night except watch The Man Who Knew Too Little(instant classic. Mom send 'Old School' the movie when you send the package I want to watch that, and tommy boy, but my copy of that is at Kathryn's house. Maybe I'll have Jennie get it from her, or we could buy a dvd.
Regards I am about finished with this entry. I would like to say happy birthday to Annie, and I am sorry I was late but i haven't had excess to a phone during normal waking hours.
Regardless Peace and Love
Donald

Just settled in.

2005-08-25T15:38:00.000-07:00

Hello again, I am back to speak to my adoring fans. the first week of school is up and things are great so far, I got my books, and I have beed BUDGETING. It is hard but I have been rigorous in my attempts so I will see if in the end I succeed. I have had two of my three classes, because my Wendsday class didn't meet this week. I am excited about school, it sounds interesting, and I think that I may be able to finish in a year, if I hustle. I am missing the cardinal games, and this saddens me, especially as we near the post season, in what will, hopefully, be our year.
Well goodbye for now.
Donny

Welcome back to Holland

2005-08-19T19:11:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the end of my first offical full day in Holland, although I was here for almost the entire day yesterday. Things are pretty similar around here from last spring. The weather is as perfect as one can expect from Holland, and that means about as unperdictable as St. Louis, but with much more wind, and rain, and not as much hot, or real cold, Tonight we went to the dance club, and danced with dutch girls, dutch girls can't dance. The dorms in K-straat are a little bit of a sausage fest this term, with no girls except one on the otherside, who goes to Leiden University, but hangs out with us on our side of the dorms.

This weekend I will hang low and take it easybut first thing monday morning I am going to take care of all my apointments with the university, about health insurance, coming home for eight weeks during christmas and also Look into my loan status,
Regardless, I am falling asleep, so I should leave you now.

Peace.
Donny

Update

2005-07-14T00:21:00.000-07:00

Good news good news. In August I am moving back to Amsterdam for a year, and a few months. I am getting my Master's there in International Relations. Quite a change from Boston, and allthough not really a better fiscal decision, I decided the oppurtunity for internships for international organizations is better in Holland, but also the chance to get a job in another part of the world is better in Holland. Regardless I leave in early August and am going to be gone until October. Then hopefully I will get a job working somewhere in the world, but have enough time to come home in between. I have been considering doing this since I first got to Holland, but now I think that it is the right decision for me. I am looking forward to all the adventure of being an American expatriate.

Casino Queen, my lord your mean.

2005-06-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

So many things have happened since I have last written, I don't know where to begin. First of all I got fired from my job at Save-A-Lot, well actually they let me quit, but it was because they were going to fire me. Aparently I was ratted on for stealing at the register. BULLSHIT. But I was the 9th person fird and I am partually responsible for the first person getting fired so I suppose I could have figured that this whole witch hunt would eventually take out me, the true end to my classic tragedy that has been my employment at Save-a-lot. Complete with ancient greek symbolic death at the end. I am thinking about writing a book about that shit, crazy. Regardless I need to find a job. I have one at the other save a lot, way out in Cedar Hill and that's cool enough for right now, but i need to get a job makeing money, full time and hopefully within my degree somewhat, enough that i can sit down and do my job, and not work with my back for it. I hope it all works out. My friend brad said I might be able to get a job with him installing inground pools. He said he make 600 cash each week , so we'll see how that goes. regardless tonight is colin and Kat's 21st birthday so we are going to go and get hammered. Last night at midnight i met them at growlers and we drank and then went to the Casino Queen and I didn't gamble, but sure did indulge in the one dollar drinks. Cheap cheap drinks.
Well that is all for now, one of these days i have to tell about my sisters wedding which was this saturday, but i really cant keep typing now, I've lost all my drive. Ill talk to you later.
Donny

I have nothing and now I am here.

2005-06-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

Oh its been so long since I've wrote I don't know what to write about. I have been working two jobs and getting ready for my sisters wedding. Also I huge amount of stuff has happened at work, seven people got fired and I am not sure if I am next, because it has been a while since my last shift. I am not worried though. I do not care, I am broke and a few paychecks will not remedy that situation at least I do not have car or house payments. Others have more to worry about than me. I do not know what I am going to do, all I know is that I will do something and it will be worthy by fall and i have between now and then to consider what that is.
I think I want to be a farmer, working in the field. You know I haven't ever had the chance to do completely what I want to do, or the time in my life where I had no imediate plans for the future months. This new freedom is exciting to me. and I do not know what to do with it. My loose plans involve either going to the MAC for the year and take classes, or go to webster and start a masters in IR or take my GRE and attempt to get into SLU or MIZZOU for my masters in IR or History while waiting to take the LSAT in oct. who knows I am also secretly angling to either move to Cairo or Leiden again, so we will see how that works out.

Last night

2005-06-08T11:57:00.000-07:00

So last night was awesome, we went to the Cardinal game versus the Boston Red Sox, and we won 9-2. Great fun was had by all and afterwards we went and played wiffleball at poop's. I pitched a hitless fifth to gain the save for my squad, of which only me and kat were left of the original six. but Rocca came out for some big help off the bench.
Work kicked my ass this morning.

These entries have small points.

2005-06-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

I don't have much to write about today. All this week I have been working pretty many hours and other than that just hanging out with my friend Rachel during the days and I've hung out with Colin and the Switerland crew a few times. Yesterdday I had to work all morning unitl two then played ping pong with jimmy and after that I took a nap until 7, which at that point we went out to dinner with my family because they were all at the hospital because my aunt had to go for somethng, but she tuened out ok so everything is allright. Last night after that, we went and played wiffle ball at my friend/2nd cousins Jake's house. He has a tight ballfield for it, with lights and everything. We got anihilated 22-something but we came back strong at the end. Kat was there fromSwiterland we talked about the mesh. I need to get more mesh.
Anyway after that I don't know whats up. I do know that I am going to the baseball game on the 11 versus Boston and it will be hella tight. peace from over here

Weekend in Reverse.

2005-05-31T06:36:00.000-07:00

Here I am again. It is 830 in the morning and I am getting ready for work. I have been working doubles. spliting my shifts between my store and the one in cedar hill. It is cool, cedar hill is a lot different it is much easier but doesn't make as much sense, I should tell them what is up and how to make their store better, but at the same time I should ride the gravy train. Well this weekend wasn't too bad. last night I went over to jimmy's house and then over to my friend Jake's house, which ironically we are second cousins, which we didn't quite know until we met each other in Switzerland. We had fun, I missed all the whiffle ball which is terrible but ah well. I seen Rocca who has been AWOL lately. Also Koppie was there and Kat and you know good times all around. Sunday night I really can't remember I worked inthe morning and then I went over to Rachels house for a bit chiefed and went home to sleep. On Saturday I went to my friend Sara's wedding party thrown by her sister teresa and it was cool, but unfortantly my sister gina locked her slf out of her acr andI had to leave early which sucks, and also after I got Gina and went home and debated going back out to St. Charles(which I decided not to do, unfortantaly) I called the girl from the Sprint store back and she didn't answer, so that didn't happen either.
On Friday Sara, Bob, Meghan, Crystal, Teresa, Jim, Ed, and I went to the Lemp Mansion for a bacholeor/ette party. We did the murder mystery dinner theatre and it was fun, I would have preferred it to have been more serious and actually makes sense to where there really was one killer, but it seemed arbitrary and only a vechicle for jokes and improv.
well that is my weekend in reverse. Now I am getting ready for work and such.
peace

A funny thing happened on the way to the store.

2005-05-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

So this is the most random thing ever. I was going to wait until Saturday to revel this scene I got my self into this time, but I cannot contain the desire to speak. So, I was on the way to my friend Rachels house and I was late for various reasons (I plead the fifth) and so I got there and rachel was getting into her car we had to hurry to the Sprint Store because they closed at nine-thirty. So we get there totaly rushing but with time to spare, and as we're walking in one of the display phones ring and Rachel picks it up, at this point I thought Rachel was just being stoney and it was a prop ring or something, you know? So, I kinda ignore it and she's like "Sprint Store" and then listens, and then hangs up. So she proceeds to the counter to handle her buisness and I continue to browse the display phones. Well, the phone rings once more, and to my shagrin it is the same girl as before. Aparently someone had called her phone from one of the display phones at The Sprint Store hours prior (I didn't even know they were activated.) and she was trying to figure out who called her from where. So I explained the situation and she was confused, trying to figure out who it was. I thought just a random dialer, as is oft the case, but she wouldn't buy that excuse. So, meanwhile, Rachel is handling her shit at the counter and I am still trying to convince this girl that it is a display phone. So apparently Rachel couldn't get her shit fixed so she signals me to leave, well I am say goodbye to this girl and she's like whats your number so i give it and she calls my phone imediatly, which was nearly out of batteries and we talk all the way back to Rachel's, and she's like call me in an hour. at this point this is the weirdest introduction I've ever had to a girl you know?, but I call her back in an hour and we talk while I drive down to my old roommate Derek's house. Long story short(too late), her name is Allissa and shes from Bosnia and I'm going out with her Saturday night.
True Story.
So then I went to Derek's apartment and him, his girlfriend, Kristen and I played Nintendo and took rips and ate delicious brownies. and then I almost passed out on the ride home I was so tired. I had to be up at five today to be at work, so that doubly sucked; getting up early AND having to work all day.
Tonight I am going to the Lemp Murder Mystery Dinner at the Lemp Mansion. tightness. tightness. I've always wanted to do the murder mystery dinner theatre somewhere, all my life, since the movie Clue, and then the steriotypical episode from all my favorite sitcoms. It will be great fun especially since I planned it for Sara and Bob's wedding I think that we will have a good time, and they're a party tomorrow for them at Bob's house out in St. Charles but I have to go out with that girl at like eight or nine so I'm going to go at two and stay till like 7:30 or so, and then you know from there we'll see.
Wish me luck children.
ISN"T THAT FUNNY?
or is it too weird?

A Short One

2005-05-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

So today has been quite trying i woke up this morning and i had to go to the bank and close my account because all the money in it was my brother's. So I went up there to the Regions Bank and I simply stated that I wanted to close my account and withdrawl all my money. The woman behind the counter first tells me that taking all my money out of the account won't close it. Thank You very much ma'am that is why I said "and close the account." then she proceeds to tell me I need to talk to someone else and sends me over to a desk where a rude woman first asks where I am moving my banking and why? I tell her Switzerland and say its because they dont ask stupid questions. She tells me I can't close my account because I owe a dollar on an old account, which i was forced to pay when I opened this account that I am currently trying to close. furthermore she tells me if i close the account before August I will be subject to a 25 dollar early account closure fee. I argue over the dollar and finally just ask her what the exceptable minimum balance is. She says as long as it isn't zero its fine. So I say I would like to withdrawl all my money except for a dollar. She proceeds to tell me that I have to leave in 26 dollars so that I can cover the early closure fee. and i says to her "no I am leaving the dollar in until August then I will close the account. She looked at me like I had just proposed marriage to her with a cantaloupe on my head. As I was walking to the counter to continue with the withdrawl of all but 1 dollar from my bank account I hear over my sholder her on the phone with someone recounting the whole scene. I fucking paid that dollar, and furthermore it's a dollar for christ's sake. They are a multi-billion dollar banking institution and I have 226 dollars in my account you think they could cut me some slack on that dollar. or at least not fuck up so that they try to make me pay that dollar twice.
fuckers.
peace, harmony and a centered chi.
donny

This kid is back in town

2005-05-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

Hello I have returned from Europe, and all was amazing. I know you've all read about it so I will only briefly comment on such things. Everything was so amazing the entire experience was awesome. Not only did I meet the most interesting people; both at Webster and traveling around Europe, but I had the best time of my life. In Holland we had such an awesome crew. Shout out to Derrick. Whats up?I still miss those dinners, shit kids, my mom doesn't cook like that. Between Jamila, Marilyn, and Aritza and Partrick and Rebecca I have been spoiled. Jamila, that spicy cheese bread was the heat. I wonder where the gnome of the fort is now Marilyn. "everything's goin' be alright."
St. Louis is pretty chill today. I've been chiefin'. Nils, whats up? we need to write down the rules to the game before we forget them. I hope you and Kat are having a good time in Nepal and Thailand. Angie we need to get some hashish for sure and I think that i almost have a website up with you ass on it. CLASSY. Kevin those pictures from the beach were awesome the clouds are tight. And mandy i know my glasses are hot.
Anything else i can think of you know you'll hear about it. Just check back oft kids.
my best regards
Donny

TONY

2005-05-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

Tony I wish you would tell me when you were getting into Amsterdam so you could get your luggage from my dorms before I leave. Why don't you call me or something. I saw that you sithdrew money in Italy on the 18th, I hope you are not still in Italy. I guess I'll leave it here and you can come get it before you fly out. If not I don't know what going to happen to it. I can't really bring it to the airport because i have too many for my own flight, If you can think of something then let me know, but you have to call me soon. Peace. If you just head straight here then you should either buzz room #57 or #15. #57 if it is early morning(before 8:30) and #15 if it is after say 9:00 if that doesn't work you just have to keep checking until Mandy is around to lt you in.
Donny.

SICILY

2005-05-16T01:52:00.000-07:00

We are here. We got in this morning at about eight. dad my account number for my lsac is L25205386. Everything is cool. Mary, Sicily is very sophisticated. We are going to rome tonight and then i am going to frankfut and i dont know where the boys are going after that. Then I am going back to leiden for a day before they get into amsterdam. OK. bye.

Tony and mark are here.

2005-05-13T04:58:00.000-07:00

hey mary we are here. I have a ton of pitures but limited time. the boys are in amsterdam right now and I am finishing up checking out fo my dorm room and the last of my finals before we head out. I have to meet them at the train station in a few hours. Yesterday they got here at about 10ish(mom you were right, they did get a little lost.) and we sat around until I had my final at one. after that I took them to the coffeeshop and we went to the old stone fort in Leiden and smoked a jay and looked around and then we came back here. Somewhere in the process we each ate two doner kabobs and then came back to the dorms. We hung out for a little while and then they crashed out and we had a going away party. All was really awesome and i got drunk and we staye d up till four and just hung out and I am going to miss this place.

Lyden
you're going to make me lonesome when you go.

Mother's Day.

2005-05-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day Mom! i was going to send you flowers but I felt guilty asking you for the money, to spend on you, for flowers. But fear not, I have gifts for you when I return. (note to self: buys gifts for mom.) I hope you have a lovely day, well as lovely day as is possible without me around. I tried to call you at mid-night but Mandy was asleep and she has the only phone my phone card works on. Regardless I will call you today with out fail, I have an extra seven hours to remember. So even if it is Monday here it still would be Mother's day there, and i think that we all know that international law conserning transcontinental greetings and well wishing states that the reciever of the call is the one whom's time zone matters. So, in conclusion, Happy Mother's Day mom! and I will see you in just under two weeks.
Love,
Donny

Nokia

2005-04-27T09:52:00.000-07:00

So i was going to go to Italy this weekend and visit my friend Kat in Rome, but it is Queen's Day here which is like Marti Gras in New Orleans or Times Square on New Years. Also I have a fatty ass report on Finland due Tuesday, Finland for christ's sake! What have the Finn's done before or after Nokia? I rest my case. I am just joking I holdnothing against the ancient people of eastern Scandinavia. Well they did fight with Hitler in WWII and remained closely allied with the soviet union through-out the cold war. Regardless I have choosen to write a report on the economic history of these artic dwellers, and i will trace with conviction their path from primarily a logging, farming and steel nation to a high tech telecommunications leader, but that is neither here nor there.
Everything is good here, classes are going well and they are almost over, I still haven't gone to amsterdam to get my ticket changed, i have to do it tomorrow morning, its just that its about a three hour trip from my door to leiden centraal to amsterdam centrum to their office- back to amsterdam sentrum then to leiden centraal then back to my dorms. i mean its only a hald hour to amsterdam from leiden but you know how it is round trip plus the arrand. regardless peace out
I am the kool-aid kid.

In London

2005-04-22T08:39:00.000-07:00

Hello. I arrived in England at about 1010 and then i had a two hour train ride to London, on the way to the port I met a girl from greece who was going to london too, so we chilled until we got off the train and then I took the London Underground to Regent's Park, which is where my friend's college is, imagine a campus in the middle of Central Park that is what it is like. They are all rich kids too. There was a major snag in the plans though, unbeknowst to me, Colin left last night to go to Duhram for the day, which means that he won't be back in london untill tomorrow later in the day. It is not a big deal I got a hostel, which I had to charge and I am seeing if my friend Alan is in london, which he might be, or I am just going to get something to eat and chill for a while. I am quite tired though, I have been up since about 430 this morning, so maybe after I eat I will just go to bed for the night. Mom, I have 85 dollars left in my commerce acount, I don't know how this is right, but it says that i only have 23 available balance, that means i have no money to withdrawl, from that account or from the Union Planters(because your transfering that one). maybe you should only put in a little at a time, like 50 a week, so i dont spend it all. Until then i guess i am just going to not spend money, and use my credit card for my return boat to holland. If I have to spend more then the £20 i have between today and tomorrow i guess i will use my credit card. Tomorrow will be cheap because colin has a free room and free meal plan. I could have gone up and met them but it was a £88 ticket and I cant afford $180. London is cool, it is more like the US then continental Europe. Things are open later, and the signs are in English, but I swear to god the Dutch speak way better English then this nation of fish.

I should of thought of the whole colin thing before hand, but it isn't a big deal, i wish i had more energy today, i would go do some sight seeing, but i am worn out and the last thing i want to see is Buckingham Palace, I want to see India Palace and get something to eat, Ill talk to you later everyone. Dad&Mom call me later today, i have no more minutes but i can get a call still.

bye.
Donny

Photographs from Paris, Germany and Amsterdam

2005-04-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

Hello. Hello.
I am getting my tickets pushed back so that cool, i emailed them and it should only cost me 25dollars
My eurorail is only good untill the 18th, but maybe by then we could be back in Amsterdam.
Mom, I have about 450 euros left and I am being cheap during the week.
No worries I have tons of new pictures online now.I am going tomorrow to london and I am meeting with my friend their I think i have to take a train from Paris though.
Cool. Peace/
Donny

This Morning and On Amsterdam.

2005-04-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

Today is Monday and what a lazy monday afternoon it is, I rearanged my room this afternoon and now my desk is on the window along with my bed, it is much better, allows for access to both sides of the desk, and moves my bed away from the heater, it got much too hot at night.
I can sit and look out the window into the courtyard too, which is nice. I have nothing planned for today, tomorrow after class I have to go to Schiphol Airport and see about my tickets, getting them postponed. and how much it would cost. Oh well we will see. I have much to worry about financially these days and I slowly/quickly going broke, I have enough though as long as I am dilligent in my economics, which I cannot always say I am. Regardless I am having a good time here in this ancient city. Amsterdam is crazy we were there till 5am the other night and it was wierd how a city can keep going twenty four hours a day like it is 10 o'clock at night. I mean stores, shops, resurants, vendors, coffeeshops, bars, etc. Everything except GAP and stores like that. The redlight district is pretty interesting to see, and the coffeeshops are a must. we saw Boom Chicago, which is like a improv comedy show, like Who's Line is it Anyway? sorta. It was pretty funny. Anyway I am going to try and find something to eat so I hope to see some comments, damn it. peace.

During the week

2005-04-05T23:46:00.000-07:00

It's eight in the morning and I just woke up to aother cloudy day in the Netherlands, and am listening to Israel Vibration getting ready to start my day. I have class at one and after that I have to do homework and...yeah right this is Holland. I think I am goig to either Rome or London/Ireland real soon, this weekend or the next, and then the other one later in the semester. My classes are easy but not too easy. Dad you should do that FASTA and law school financial aid paperwork for me. please. There hasn't hasn't been too much going on here during the week just parties at nigh in the dorm or drinking at the bars , but everyone is real cool and laid back and doesn't party too much. We are planning a bike ride to Rotterdam and Maybe going to Greece. but i cant afford to go so many places. Espeacially if Mark and Tony are coming at the end of the semester. Where do you guys want to go? Anyway I have to get ready for school, and really do some homework. Ill talk to you later guys.

Donny

No baseball in Europe.

2005-04-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

sniff sniff baseball is about to begin and i will miss it a great deal. I only gike et the big games on Italian satilit, and every night they watch soccer. Mainly the Yankees but hopefully some cardinal games. I got a sweet bike. it goes a thousand miles and hour and can fly. I take it off sweet jumps. It's sweet.
They have the sweetest cheese here. It's called old amsterdamer and its delicious. It is aged and crusty and awesome. I like all the cheese everywhere. It is cool. Regardless, I have to get going. Untill next time...keep on keepin on.

Gina is gone home.

2005-04-02T11:12:00.000-08:00

Hello. It is about 9 o'clockk here and today I just took it easy after gina left. We walked to the park and got some dinner and I found out i can get quarters for my soda bottles(awesome gina, huh?) and we had a great time this week. After we came back from france we spent thenext three days in Amsterdam we went to the Henieken experience and walked around the red light district and the coffee shops and then on thursday we went to Munich and out to the Newschwanstein castle built on the side of a mountian cliff by ludwig II whom died before the thing was done. it was pretty awesome but i dont get how there could of been a king of balvaria in 1878 because germany .was unified in 1870, ill have to look into such matters more deeply. For now though I am taking it easy and thinking about going to bed early tonight but i think that there is a patry brwing for tonight so we'll see. Liz i have a couple of questions about this computer. Firstly is there a reason the sound doesn't work? and also does your USB port not work or is it my device. Tony maybe you can help. regardless I just wanted to drop a line. Ill post the pictures from paris and munich and amsterdam on monday when i go to school.
my best regards
Donny.
PS who wants to come visit next? Just ask Gina about the Donner Kabobs.
Gina I found my passport its all good.
later.

Happy Easter

2005-03-27T07:16:00.000-08:00

Happy Easter everybody. It is about 5 pm and we are in the 'Dam shopping(great) Tomorrow we are going to the Hinekien brewery. That is all I have pictures from paris I will upload soon.
Gina says happy easter too.

Paris

2005-03-26T00:09:00.000-08:00

Hello from Paris. This keypad is quite confusing. The letters are all the wrong spots, even worse than in Switzerland. We got in late last night and are going to go to Jim Morrisons grave and the eiffel tower and the louve. Perhaps not in that order.(and subtract one of the 'and's). Other then that we stayed at a sweet hotel last night for 45 euro and now we are off.
Here is Gina
Yeah as Donny likes to say...that hotel was not sweet at all, if anything it was pretty crappy! Maybe I just wont come back to the great STL and ill just stay here with Donny...sorry Liz!! Well we will talk to you soon...love you all!!

Gina is here.

2005-03-24T01:04:00.000-08:00

Last night I spent my first day in Amsterdam, crazy. It is 24/7 non-stop there. We got a room right in the city center and it was sweet, but not all at the same time. First of all I had to meet them at 8 in the morning and then colin and koppie didn't get on their train from switzerland so they didn't show so brad and jake and liz and Mike and I went to the train station and dropped jake and liz off and then I went to class. After class I came back up and brad mike and I walked around the 'Dam and remarkably we found Colin on the main street, so we hung out with them for the rest of the night and then I had to get up real early to pick Gina up at the airport and now we are in the library for a while. I have class at one oclock. We are going to Italy tomorrow I think, or shortly after. I am not sure if some of my friends are coming here from Italy so we will see. Regardless, we will be careful and have fun.
bye,

Switzerland

2005-03-20T04:22:00.000-08:00

Hello this is going to be ahort entry too. I am sorry if my spelling and typing are not up to par but this key board is crappy, and the y and z are inverted for some reason. I am in Interlocken, Switz. and about to go meet my friend colin at his hostel. the alps are awesome and the ride from Basel to Interlocken Oust was amazing mountians right up against lakes and such the train was right at the base, I am off to hike i think. Later-

On the overnight to Switzerland

2005-03-19T10:07:00.000-08:00

Headed to Switzerland. I came up to Amsterdam with the girls from my dorm, but they are going shopping, always shopping so I am going to Zurich, Switzerland. My friends are some where around there now, so I am going to find them, i think in Interlanken. I can't wait. Holland is pretty amazing everything is so close together and there are so many people. We ate and now my train leaves in an hour so I am doing this from the train station. I hope I don't run out of time. I am going to post so that if I do run out of time i at least saved this.

Here I am in Amsterdam, and then Lieden.

2005-03-17T10:26:00.001-08:00

I wrote a long entry and it got erased things are good. I am here I had a smooth flight. Lieden is awesome really ancient with a massive 15th century cathedral and such. brick street excepts the highways and bikes everywhere. benn shopping and drinking and to the club/bars and to the grocery store. Now I am out and about and was talking pictures but the sun set. I swear I had about two pages written. Regardless Gina should bring lizs laptop with her, it would be coll and safe, and either a wireless internet card or my ethernet cable from my roo. regardless I cant wait for gina to get here nad i think this weekend we are going to Amsterdam. Bye.

Hello from Lieden.

2005-03-17T10:26:00.000-08:00

On the eve of my departure

2005-03-13T12:47:00.000-08:00

Hello It is Sunday afternoon and I am at t-minus two days. I had a Good Ridiance party last night but only a few of my friends showed up. All my friends from Kennedy came and Jimmy from work and then Liz Barton and Kathryn came. Plus all my family. It was cool, slow but cool. Per usual everyone just told stories about me, one group to the other and vice versa, I swear that this is my plight to listen to the things I will never live down repeatedly. Regardless, I had some fun and got good and drunk and played ping pong.
Well what else can I say, I got my camera ready to go I still need to buy an outlet adaptor, drop my German Workshop and add the Overview to my schedule as well as get my medical forms from my doctor on monday, what a day. Now I am going to quickly finish my SLU law school application and send that in. good bye for now, I will either write one more time before I leave or upon arrival give a quick update. goodbye.

My hat is making my head itch.

2005-03-09T08:57:00.000-08:00

So Tony told me to add humor to my posts to make them more interesting to read, as if the details of my life are not of the upmost interest to everyone already. Gosh!
um...
imagine a man getting hit in the crouch, now thats funny(there you go tony)
Today is Wendsday March 9th and I have six days till departure. Good news I think that Gina is going to visit me on the 24th. That is my little sister for those of you not in the know. She will be there from the 24 through the 2 of April. I think that we are going to go to Italy that week. It will be expensive but hopefully by then I will have learnt some money saving techniques. When you are hungry you eat bread.

Ich werde Brot und Wasser essen und trinken.

So I am sitting in the computer lab in the Sam Priest House on campus and the dueschbag across from me sitting there and keeps looking up at me and smiling..wait he just did it, he doesn't even know I am typing this about him as I nob back from across the table. I think that is funny, Smile to their face but laugh behind their back that is my motto!

I am really enjoying my new shoes. I got a blue and khaki pair of New Balance 006 trail walking shoes. I figure that is closest to what I am going to be doing traveling through Europe. They have a good feel to them and have a mesh toe as well as vents in the sides so my feet don't sweat, I guess I just can't wear them in the rain. That is what I am completely unprepared for a sudden downpour, I have no rain gear, perhaps I should get some. At least a poncho or something.

(overheard at an IHOP)
"If it wasn't for my horse I wouldn't have spent that year in college."-Louis Black
you figure it out.

Anyway, I am buzzing off faculty coffee and it is going to be hectic day. I have my overview at 12, or at least I might, and then I have a test in my Italian cinema class from 1-5 and then another in my Russian Culture class from 5:30-9:30. What a full day I have. I am thinking about running to the bank and depositing my check from my auntie. I should do that. Well, I recieved my Eurail, have packt my bags and i have to just wait untill the car ride there.(sic) Oh I am walking three inches off the ground

Mission Statment

2005-03-05T08:47:00.000-08:00

Hello, today is the fifth of March and I have ten days left here in North America. A little about my trip and the things that I will be doing, the things I am planning on doing, and the things that i wish I get the chance to do. First of all my travel itinerary. I fly out of St. Louis on the 15 of March at noonish. and into JFK in New York. Then, from there I fly into Amsterdam, Holland it is a seven hour flight from NYC to Amsterdam. From Amsterdam I am taking the train down to the city of Lieden, which is where Webster University is there. Lieden is considered the university town in Holland, most of the countries colleges are near by. From Lieden I am taking a train to Switzerland where I am meeting my friends Tony, and Colin and from there I am not sure, all I know is I have to be back in shool at least by the 21-22. School starts on the 22nd and I am in Lieden till the 24th, then I have four days off to travel. I think that the first weekend after classes start I am going to try and stay around Hollland, and maybe Belgium and get to know the Low Countries a little better before venturing acros Europe, Allthough I have the weekdays when I am in school to do that, because I only have three classes; one on tuesday thursday, one on wendsday, and oe on thursday. So I can still sneak in quite abit of exploration into those time frames too. As for in future weeks I have only vauge sketches of my plans. I want to visit the following countries: France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Greece and any other country in Europe I failed to name. Those our priority though and also I really would like to go to Hungary and England but England isn't included on the Eurail pass and Hungary is far to the east, and I might feel compeled to go to Russia form there, but that costs more too. I think that i will try to travel in the following manner during the four days I am off. I will stay in a city/area for a day or two. and travel on night trains where I can sleep for 8 hours as the train goes across Europe. I definatly can't wait to go to Switzerland. All the pictures I've seen, and all the people who have been there say the most wonderful things about it. I am glad it is the first place I am going as soon as I drop off my luggage at my dorm. Which speaking off I have no idea about my living arangments while I am there, I know the school is providing them, but I haven't the foggiest about what the accomidations are going to be. Regardless, I suppose that about wraps it up for now. But don't forget to visit my travelmap, this is where I post entries about the coutries I've been to and the things I've seen and I can also upload pictures to this site so look here often I will try to be on top of it, but I might be having too much fun ans say screw it. Click on "View my complete profile" on the right-hand side of the page. Then click on "My Web Site" on the righthand side side of the page. and there you are, or just click on this link:
http://www.travelpost.com/member-profile.aspx?usid=13595
Who knows how good I will be about updating the travelpost, but this web site will be updated at least three times a day, also during the week I will be posting the times I will be on AOL Instant Messenger. My AOL Instant Messenger screenname is
fixmealargeslice.
I still need to collect addresses for emails and postcards but I will start that up this week On Saturday the 12th of March I am having some sort of going away party though i don't know where or who or what we are doing, I think just to my house. Regardless,If you have any questions or can't get a comment to post then email me at
j8ment@yahoo.com

Auf Wiedersehen!

update

2005-02-27T11:40:00.000-08:00

Hello. It has been a while since I have posted an entry, nothing has changed. I am leaving in 2 weeks for Holland and then I should be posting regularly. I am supposed to land in Amsterdam at like 430 on the 15 of March. After that I think i am meeting my friends and taking off, i think we are going to Geneva and Spain. After that school starts on the 22rd so Ill be in Lieden by the 22. I only have classes on Tuesday, Wendsday, and Thursdays so I can really spend my time traveling. Hopefully by the 25th i have someone to travel with somewhere. All the places i want to go while i am over there are Germany France Italy Spain Greece Scandanavia, Irealand and hopefully England too. It is a lot of countries but I figure if I travel 6 or 7 of the weekends I will use 28 days plus of train travel, plus what even inside of Holland I use so I think i am getting a eurorail pass these are 870 buckd for two month unlimited if i could find a deal that let me travel 28 of teh days out of a two mnth period for real cheap i would do that but i think it is better not to have to worry about it.

A Huck Finn sort of day.

2005-02-08T13:23:00.000-08:00

Good day
2/8/2005
Ah sweet Tuesday I am off from everything today, and my parents are in Florida and I ma living easy on the banks of the Mississippi today. A huck finn day for sure. All i Have done is watch the Simpsons and slept and read. Tonight I am going out with kathryn and it is her birthday tomorrow so we are all going out i think then. We normally end up sitting at her house and watching tv and i think we should do something else tonight. I do not know what to get her for her birthday and I am not sure what she would like. I was supposed to go and eat dinner with my sister tonight but I cancelled because.
She took my dog home to her house for a few days, and i don't like that one bit. Today I am going shoe shopping or other assorted thing sho[[ing and I and starting a bank account as well with all my bling.
I said good day!

what an interesting series of days, not really

2005-02-04T23:10:00.000-08:00

Today is Friday night I had a lovely day today. I got to work at ten oclock and worked until 3 whence I there upon came home and played some ping pong with Jimmy from my work, after that Iwent with my family to El Magauy's on Manchester and then we went to Mark's I just got home about an hour ago and I am hunkering down for the night. but a quick update first.
Yesterday(Thursday) I worked from 7:30 to 12 and it was ok. Then at one I went to matt and marie's and it was wierd because maries mom was there and stayed and stayed and stayed and finally she left so we chiefed and then Jamie followed me back to my house for some ping pong, which shortly after we played our set(which ended 12-10, he won) My cousin mark called and said he was on his way over to play too, so I played another set with mark and then I collapesed, I was exhausted after so much pingpong.
so i have to by birthday presents for my sister and my friend kathryn and I don't know what to buy either, my sister just wanted me to burn her a whole bunch of cds for christmas and I still haven't done that for her, adn now her birthday was here last saturday and I know nicht what to get her that she will like, oh well i will continue to look, but for now I must go
Farewell Angelina the sky is folding.

Call me Ishmael.

2005-01-28T21:25:00.000-08:00

It is Friday night and I have been quite busy. on Thursday night I worked till 830 with this one girl and the Matriarch of Evil, things are not so bad, our war having slipped into a cold war faught behind the curtains. She is not as cunning as I, I suspect, and the time will come when I shall prove to be the Son of Virtue and I will abolish the Dark Plauge that has assended unto my life.
Other then that everything is lovely.

Actually they are not all that great. School is good, by classes are fair and my workload is easy. I have most of my law school applications and should start sending them out early next week, I am so behind. but i am anxious about europe and undecided about if I want to go to law school right away, or if I want to take a year or so and do something exciting like teach inKorea for a year which would be good plus lots.

I talked to cashier girl this week, i think I lost that election. but a girl at work seems to have taken a fancy to me, but she is in cahoots with the MAtriarch of Evil and I do not know if I fancy her, allthough she is hot.

Well tomorrow is my sister gina's birthday and I promised her that I would burn her some of my cds for her birthday and christmas and I have yet to get either done, so I ifeel a little bit sleazy for being lax on such things. I am prepared to skip her birthday feast if my phone rings properly.

goodnight.

Es ist eine traurige und schöne Welt.

2005-01-23T13:22:00.000-08:00

Today has really been mediocre. I was late for work and then, allthough i didn't really work hard, I was ridden all day for it, and that is lame. After work I came home washed and read Book I of Patterson by Williams Carlos Williams. Patterson is great. I wish I could write like William Carlos Williams, above all other poets, he captures the feeling of American life during the middle of the twentieth century.

Now it is late in the afternoon and I have spent these last two hours lounging and playing ping pong with my father. After a quick meal i shall head out to my friends' to lounge untill I reaturn home and do my german homework.

These are my details and for some reason I feel the need at the end of each day to sit down and write them out for you who will never read them. I am off like the wind

Frisch weht der Wind/Der Heimat zu./Mein Irisch Kind,/Wo weilest du?

This weekend was good. On Friday I went out to dinner with my family at Chili's and then Mark, Tony and I came back here to play ping pong. After that I went to sleep and got up Saturday morning to go to work at 8. Saturday night I went out with old friends from grades school and high school andhad a good time. We got pizza at Farazzi's(sp) and then we went over to my friend Megan's house and played Trivial Pursuit Pop Culture DVD. it was fun, i think that I like it better with the acedemic quesions too. makes for more variety.
On sunday I worked and after that I played ping pong with my dad and then went to my friend matts house and watched the Clone Wars.(star wars II) Natalie Portman is very attractive and that movie, I can't say how much I think her lovely in that tight, white jumpsuit and then she gets it all torn up and ripped, then she gets whipped. hot.

New day of school.

2005-01-19T09:49:00.000-08:00

Today is my fisrt day of school. I am between classes right now and I came home for a quick game of ping pong and to read a little sherlock holmes after my German II class. There are only two other students in it so I think that it will be good. I have to be back at Webster at one o'clock for my Italian Cinema class and at 5:30 I have Russian Culture. What a busy day for me. Plus I am trying to read the Rape of Nanking for my senior overview. I have this one semester and then I am done. I have no idea what's next, I want to go to law school but I think I want to take a year off and do something grandiose, like teach English somewhere, or work in another part of the country, or world. I am looking into such things and the best deals are in China, and I think that that would be cool, but also Hungry seems to have a market for English teachers but you have to be much more willing to take a chance because there it is more apply in person once you're there. We will see, we will see. Well I am off to school. Auf Wiedersehen!

When Lilacs on my Dooryard last Bloom'd

2005-01-17T20:39:00.000-08:00

Hello adoring public. Here is my soapbox, now I can shout. This is my blog, and not my first, my last one dates back to 2000 and well i think if people are going to read this, people i know mayhaps I should start over and this time not slant everything so one sided.

Here is the deal. I go to school, and I work. I am gearing up for a trip to Holland for eight weeks, in eight weeks for school and my job has became an Arstotlian tragedy.

Ive had this job since 1998 at savealot by my house and on my street. All was well in the world. my goal was to work as little as possible and get away with it. all was well. by 2000 I was a night manager and I began to 'close' the store, which made my job better, I was in charge. People came and went things stayed the same. We still weren't busy that much and slacked off to no end. by 2002 I was making 9.10 an hour and all was well. Then in 2003 a plauge entered the store a new employee had been brought it to replace the former closers in the performance of that task. So i have a new boss, and like all good tragedy I, the superior am subject to the rule of the inferior. I don't mean to sound arogant but, well...shes friggin dumb. So after many clashes I have been warned even if im right just to let it go, and because shes full time, and permenant(ie dumb, because savealot has no benifits) and I am temporary(because i just work there) the store always wieghs in on her side.
That is my plight.
music: Stevie Wonder