Eyjafjallajokull

That may sound like a made-up name... but never fear, it's just Icelandic! Embunny has enjoyed following the story of this rebel volcano that shot so much ash into the sky over Europe that all air travel was cancelled for 3 days. She wants to harness that power. She also wants to photograph volcanoes one day. Here, it has been captured with aurora borealis (that's the northern lights, for all you humanities majors like myself that had to google it). Who knew molten lava and ash and deadly toxic gas and fire could be so attractive?

Spring has Sprung

Ah, it's Springtime in Charlottesville. Is there anything more beautiful than magnolia trees, dogwoods, a green Lawn, and severe allergies? I don't think so. I will miss this next year!

Breaking News: EmBunny is all grown up now! She turned 22 in April, not only celebrating the 1st anniversary of her 21st birthday but also the 15th year we (EmBunny and Grass) have been birthday buddies. As children I always invited her and she always invited me! Now we're in college and can't kick the habit. Below are pictures from her daytime dessert party/cocktail celebration.

Yummmmm

Between finishing our theses, wrapping up course work, and securing our futures, OSG still finds time to do completely useless things. Some examples include:

- communal napping (note the quote at the bottom of this post)

- guitar playing on the Lawn

- Karaoke

- celebrating Easter!

- cooking for fraternities

- listening to Chris Beale gossip(and by Chris Beale I mean James)

These activities keep us sane. Just about a month until graduation! How the time flies...

Quote of the season:

"I'm taking this nap seriously!"

We will update more often, and maybe if we're lucky Sammy will write her annual, brief (but wise) blog post. Our next post will probably be about our futures. How exciting! Til then, stay cool.

love, OSG <3

Some General Nonsense

OK, so OSG has not been together in quite sometime. Oolong is enjoying a real Spring Break on a BOAT, Sammy is visiting Grad Schools, and I (Grass) am stuck in Charlottesville writing my thesis (or at least pretending to). I am writing this blog not only to communicate with my friends, but to further procrastinate. I've gotten very good it at. Also, I think its ironic that I am writing my thesis on news remixing, copyright, and blogging and choose to procrastinate by...blogging. Winner! Does this count as research?

I really have nothing to say. I am in the reference room of Alderman Library with about six other students. Fun fact: If the Library of Congress was compromised in some way, Alderman (see below) is our nation's official second string. Cool, uh?

Someone else took this picture, posted it on Facebook, and tagged everyone he sees there on a regular basis. I, of course, was one of the shamed.

Here are some recent pictures. We all generally look the same, though it has been a long time since we've posted. Sorry!

For fun, I thought I would post our personal definitions from urban dictionary. To avoid confusion I've decided to use our real names. Following the definitions I added our likely reactions to these words in italics.

Joceline (Oolong) - "cute, amazingly funny, perfect girl. Easy to fall in love with and huggable." **Does a back flip, winks, and shows her high school spirit fingers**

Mara (Sammy) - "completely stellar. If found, keep her away from jello shots. Irresistible voice known to be a siren luring poor emo kids to death by pleasure. MAD SEXY." **Blushes and averts her blue eyes towards the closest emo kid...**

Denise (Grass) - "Do you know a Denise? Because if you do you sure are a lucky citizen! A Denise is one of the most amazing things you can have in your life. Denise's are very talented, not to mention gorgeous. Cherish your Denise for life." **Waves at her adoring fans**

I'll end with a video I found from forever ago, but never posted. This blog has seen so much snow, but a bit more can't hurt. This video was taken during the first snowfall of the season - when the concept was still novel. Please disregard my girlish giggling.

Snow Day? [S]no[w] Problems!

(Just to clarify, Embunny and Oolong came up with that title)

Virginia isn't supposed to have this much snow, right? Oh well. Oolong, Sammy, Grass, and company managed to do absolutely no work today. Instead of studying and rushing (bleh), we played in the snow, drank wine, chilled, and knitted. It was pretty sweet. Below is Oolong making a snow cupid.

Chris Beale is with us, by the way (and by Chris Beale I mean James). We are all in my room. Highlight of the day? Watching a daytime snow streaker running by without shoes. I would put up pictures, but children might be reading this blog and I see no need to terrify them.

Oolong's words: Below is evidence that I am actually 1) a kung fu master, and 2) headless

Wisdom from the day, Embunny: "Beer is the new hot chocolate."

More lessons of the day: we know better than to be friends with boys with girlfriends (most of

the time). We have to go sing kumbayah around the fire now - peace, love, and snow.

Oh and Embunny found 20 dollars. (But really). Best day ever!

After 4 years, we still belong together.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxZInIyOBXk

Embunny loves throwbacks, Walnut Creek, and a good dose of Pat Benetar.

rattlesnake master

EDIT: Oops, posted to the wrong blog. I suppose I might as well link to it now--I have a photography blog that I periodically update here...

Useless Information? I'll be the judge of that!

Just because it's winter break, doesn't mean the learning has stopped. According to our mothers and Ms. Austen, accomplished women must continue to better themselves all year round. In an extra step of charity, we OSGers are passing along some of this knowledge to our faithful readers.

Let's start with a warm up topic, shall we? Ponder at will: Whoever named the orange obviously didn't take note of the carrot. Can you say epistemological defamiliarization?

Speaking of the color orange, did you know that in 1784 it was illegal to wear that particular shade in Holland?

This is an interesting fact for all the ladies: women are naturally attracted to men with different immune system genes (by scent). Medication like the pill can shift this attraction, sometimes causing a shift in preference when you go off of it! Ahhh!

Play dough - a personal childhood favorite - used to be wallpaper cleaner.

Siberians used to pay taxes with garlic. Bleh.

"Contranyms" are words that mean opposites in a different context...

EX: To trim can mean to cut off OR to add by decoration

EX: Clip can mean to cut OR to attach

EX: Sanction can mean to punish OR to approve

Crazy, right?

A big shout out to my big bro for giving me The Essential Book of Useless Information for Christmas. I have learned so much, clearly.