Dance Marathon was awesome this year.

What was NOT awesome was getting one hour of sleep the night before, and then feeling so nauseous that I ended up getting sick in the bathroom and passing out in the dressing room for five hours, forcing me to miss the bulk of the event for which I was supposed to be with the dancers. Apparently, they all noticed I was missing (since I was their primary contact prior to the Marathon and the "face" of Steering to them) and I got so many "How are you feeling?!"s when I returned to the floor.

But the event went amazingly. $50,448 raised (probably with more to come). And while that's not as much as our announced total last year, it's still a massive amount, and will help so many children with HIV and AIDS all over the world. And really, that's the only thing that matters.

(It's weird thinking that my last Marathon is over, though. Now this semester is all about looking for a job and having fun (more the former). The end of CUDM really started hitting it home that this is my last semester of college. Scary thought.)

Steering Committee plus kids from the Foundation, taken right after the marathon ended today.

We all look gross because we'd been dancing our butts off for 28+ hours, but I <3 these people so much I can't stand it. Spending 36 hours in a room together does something for group bonding.

More about CUDM later (with more pics).

I cannot fully express to anyone how in love with CUDM and Steering I am right now. The date auction was SO much fun, even more so setting up for it. I was so worried about us not being fully bonded enough, but I feel like this week and the marathon itself will do more than enough to bring us all tighter. I even finished my Lumiere short for fiction film last night while recording people walking into the party space. I'm actually becoming more optimistic about this semester, and I actually kind of don't want this week to end. Go figure, 2 weeks ago I wanted nothing more than for dance marathon to be completely done with.

Anyone in the NYC area who wants to experience the event I can't shut up about and come cheer me on -- the address is 115th and Broadway, the giant glass building on the Columbia campus (Lerner Hall), 12 PM Saturday the 29th to 4 PM on Sunday the 30th. I'll be running around like a chicken with my head cut off, (probably) screaming obscenities into my walkie talkie, but I would absolutely love to see you there :)

Anyway. On to the reading I'm not going to be able to do this weekend.

(EDIT. WHERE did my mood icons go?!?!?!)

I should be reading Kracauer. But my paper topics sheet was stolen and now I don't know what pages pertain to the film I'm writing on. Perfect excuse, right?

I'm so impatient for Monday to be over, class-wise. I'm already treating these days like they were reading week, when in reality classes haven't actually ended yet. I cannot wait for tsdelight's visit, nor can I wait to go home, and see my parents, and sleep in my bed. I love it here but it's starting to get to me. This week alone has been so stressful and I can't imagine what next semester is going to be like.

Saw Orchesis last night. Lianna's piece was fantastic, as were the pieces she danced in. I have such talented friends.

I watched "Ek Pal Ka Jeena" from Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai repeatedly yesterday. I wish my life were carefree like Raj's. Dancing and singing and riding around on a motorbike and falling in love.

As much as I need to practice for my Hindi oral, I'm too scared of talking to people to actually hold a conversation with someone.

Volunteering at the Move Against AIDS Dance-A-Thon tonight with CUDM Steering and dancers. Should be a lot of fun. We get access to the VIP room and are performing during the Hip-Hop hour for 20 minutes. There's an after party at the Roxy, which I would go to were I not totally swamped with work this weekend.

I guess the stress of this week will just make it that much sweeter when it's finally over. But everything's moving so unbelievably slowly right now.

gah!

all of this crap to do and so little time to do it in.

still have 4 more books of augustine, about 80 pages of film reading, and a whole fucking 5-6 page lit hum paper to do...

all before the marathon less than a fucking day away.

and i wrote this bullshit essay about the low steps...

Starseed1241: it's like a fucked up admissions brouchure in spanish

but he doesn't care, as long as the grammar is correct.

today's canning experience held 3 first-time events for me:

1. first time soliciting money from drunk people
2. first time walking along the freeway for about a mile
3. first time hitch-hiking

ahh yes...today was wonderful. :)