I'm home! It's fantastic!

It's been really great relaxing and spending time with family (Rick is here!). We've been watching TV and movies. Also, my mom and Rick gave me Rock Band 2 for Christmas, and we've been having a lot of fun playing it (most of the time with Rick on guitar, my mom on drums, and me singing).

Since I got back, I've been going to various events. Many of them have been MVS-related, such as the Sweat for Scholarships last Friday and the Holiday Gala. Both were fun. However, the gala was a little disappointing because I was planning on seeing Julia there, and we were going to do something afterwards (such as see a movie—probably Slumdog Millionaire at the Neon—or go to Canal St.). However, because the weather was bad, she couldn't go. In addition, she left for Florida earlier today, so we didn't have much time to see each other. She wound up coming over on Christmas Eve, however, and she joined my family for dinner, watching A Christmas Carol, and going to the Chirstmas Eve service at church. I think she enjoyed it. I was glad to be able to spend time with her.

Yesterday I watched It's A Wonderful Life—a family tradition. That movie is so good. And if it doesn't make a person cry at least once, then that person has no soul. No soul.

Today: Rock Band, going to Best Buy (mainly to buy another guitar—to be used as a bass—for Rock Band), watching TV and another movie, and now watching Ouran High School Host Club. (For an explanation of the title of this post, here is a screenshot of the two characters I mentioned, from an episode I just watched: http://xfc.xanga.com/c6bf3a7b58535227045684/t178655984.png )

Tomorrow Rick's girlfriend Chelsea arrives! We'll see how things go after that. Hopefully I'll still be able to hang out with Rick.

Taking a break from practicing for the skit in Japanese tomorrow (we have to memorize the lines, and it's in Japanese of course)...

So, I have one story from shortly after my last post, then I'll move on to more recent stuff.
It starts on Tuesday, November 18. For quite a while I was looking forward to that night, because it was the night that Amanda Palmer came to D.C. Now, I've been listening to The Dresden Dolls (of which Amanda Palmer is one half, singing and playing keyboards) for over two years, since Jesse first introduced me to them (which was at the latest the time of this post: http://weblog.xanga.com/ChocolateNinj4/520626510/item.html ), and I've really been a fan for over a year (I think, I don't remember exactly), ever since I actually bought their CD's >_>,  but this was the first time that I would get to see either her or them in concert. So, in preparation, I of course bought tickets, and also got quite a bit of cash from the ATM, not knowing what kind of Amanda Palmer swag I would want to buy.
The show was fantastic, but too short, because it was a doubly booked night (with Amanda playing the early slot, and Eagles of Death Metal playing the later one). Anyway, that's not really the point of this part of this story.
Anyway, the next day my Ignatius Seminar class went on a field trip to the Washington Post. We got back to campus around 5:45. It was dark. Shortly after getting back, when I got to Leo's to get some food, I realized my wallet was gone, and with it, all the extra cash that I hadn't spent on stuff at the show (of which I estimated there was ~$70), my driver's license, and my GOCard (the Georgetown ID card, which I needed to get food from Leo's. I knew I had it when I got in the cab, so I ran back to the front gates. No luck. It was gone. And I had no information about it (driver's name, cab company, etc.). So there I was with no money or form of identification, and no way of getting any of it back. Plus I had to rely on the kindness of the various guards at the entrance of my dorm in order to enter without my GOCard. I went to my room, my roommate kindly got me some food, and I didn't leave it for the rest of the night. All I could do was hope that whoever found my wallet would be a good person who would at least try to get my license back to me (as it would be the hardest to replace).
However, I was incredibly lucky. When I awoke the next morning, in my inbox was an email from Saleh, the driver of the taxi where I lost my wallet. He said he found it, and he gave me a number to call to arrange to retrieve it. I immediately called, and we agreed that he would call me that afternoon (luckily it was a Thursday, so I had no classes after 12:05) and we would set a time and place to meet. I eagerly anticipated his call for the rest of the day, and it finally came, at about 5:15, 15 minutes before I was supposed to meet some classmates to work on a project (actually, the first meeting to write the Japanese skit). He said he would be at the front gates in about half an hour. I went there right away, told my classmates I'd be late, and waited. He came, I got my wallet back, completely intact, with, to my surprise, more like $100, of which I gave him $40. I was incredibly relived, and felt reassured in my belief in the goodness of individuals. Also, if you ever need a cab in D.C., and have any choice in the matter, call the USA Cab Association.

Now, an overview of my Thanksgiving break:
Left Wednesday morning at 8:45 (picked up at a metro stop) with my dad, Lara (my stepmom), and my sisters Katharine and Lily (who are 5 and 4, respectively).
Arrived at a Days Inn in Columbus at about 5:00/5:15 (the niced Days Inn I've ever been to--it's a legit. hotel, not a motel)
Tried to leave to go to Lara's family's Thanksgiving gathering in Cincinnati Thursday morning.
The car broke.
We rented a different one and drove down, arriving a little over an hour after we planned, but in time for food.
The food was good, the company was interesting.
Left a little before 5:00.
Got home a little before 6:00.
Saw my mom.
Relaxed. Relished the feeling of being home.
Went to Amar for lunch on Friday. Mmmmm...
Spent the afternoon with my mom watching movies.
Had ham and yam casserole for dinner. (My mom's yam casserole is my favorite Thanksgiving food.) Oh, and there was also her homemade apple pie, which is always incredibly delicious.
Friday night, went to Canal Street to see Shrug.
Met up with Julia, Steve, and Alex Burgan at the show.
Heard the members of Shrug play w/ Joe Anderl.
Shrug was phenomenal. The best show I've ever attended. The set was long, the fans were wild. There was much rejoicing.
After the show (which ended at about 1:30), talked to Lakatos and the other members of the band.
Went home.
Slept.
Woke up.
Left home.
Went with my dad &co. to meet a family friend for lunch. Good to see him. Met his fiancé, who seemed nice.
Drove back to Georgetown.
Remembered all the crap I have to before the end of the semester and for finals.
Decided the trip was way too short.

I am currently dreading the four papers I have to write in the next week and a half or so. One of which I should have written a while ago, but the professor not caring about due dates combined with my intense procrastination to form a deadly combination. (Related: I want this shirt: http://www.typetees.com/product/487/Procrastinators_leaders_of_tomorrow )

So, I started this post hoping to talk about audiobooks, but I fear it's too long already, and I don't want to lose my one (now maybe two!) reader(s). Alas, it must wait for another day.