Tivoli, Coming Out to a Friend, and Trippy Jesus

The weather is getting colder and the amount of daylight is getting shorter, but that doesn't mean I haven't found plenty of things to do while here. The last has been pretty relaxed for the most part. I'm still not used to getting up at 6 for classes and probably never will quite honestly. Overall, the slower pace of school work here is a nice enough change from what I'm used to back home, but I don't know if I'm a fan of that quite yet. I've found myself to be stressed out when I don't have anything to do. Weird, I know.

Monday after my birthday dinner, I ended up going to Tivoli with some friends and my host family. The place is freaking beautiful, especially at night with all the lights on. It isn't like a theme park in the US where everything is focused on the rides, but instead the atmosphere and way everything is laid out is much more relaxing in a sense. There are gardens, restaurants everywhere, rides of course, carnival games, and a concert venue. My friends and I have dubbed Tivoli as Wonderland and The Happiest Place on Earth (sorry Disney) because it was that cool.

The rest of the week has been classes - pretty bland stuff quite honestly. Many of my business classes are still covering things I have already learned and are taught at a much less rigorous level than my home university. My Nordic Mythology class has also turned out to be rather boring, at least more than I expected it to be. The professor is cool, he's fun to listen to and would do great as a professor of a more interesting subject. Danish has been a little bit of a struggle still. Some of the sounds they make are actually impossible, I swear. I also have a bad problem of saying words with a German or French accent or actually using German words because that was the most recent language I took. The professor is very fun and laid back though so I'm not too worried.

Last night was one of the most fun nights since getting here. I went out with my friends Jackie and Kate first and ended up an Australian themed bar that was a combo pool hall, beer pong hall, and dance club. Cover was waived for us for whatever reason and the music they played was amazing. I stayed there and danced my ass off for hours. Afterwards, we walked around a bit and we stumbled upon what was the trippiest sight of my life. A church was holding a late Friday night "connect with Jesus" service where they lit up the place like a 70s disco and had a DJ playing weird mood techno music you'd expect to hear at some modern art exhibit. The statue of Jesus was all lit up and lights and patterns were projected on the ceiling. It kind of freaked me out honestly but it definitely was something I had never seen before anywhere.

Around 2, I ended up meeting with with some other friends at a different bar and we chilled there for a while before heading home. On the train back, we met a group of Danish guys who had studied abroad in the US during their high school years which I've noticed is becoming an increasingly common occurrence amoung Danes my age. One guy studied in Seattle for 10 months and only had good things to say about his experience. On the train ride back, I also ended up coming out to my close friend Amy who I met on my first day in Denmark. I think I had told her once in the past during a social for one of my classes but she thought I was kidding. It was actually kind of funny and we laughed about it afterwards. Continuing with the theme of all things gay, my friend Ben who also came back on the same train as us had a funny incident happen to him involving the LGBT group at the activities and club fair earlier in the semester. In Copenhagen there is a LGBT student group called BLUS which my friend thought was a Blues Music club. Well, he obviously didn't look very closely at the signs because when he got the email from HQ about upcoming LGBT themed events, he got the surprise of his life haha. He was a good sport about it though and laughed. I ended up coming home around 4:30 which is a record for me in terms of a night out.

Anyways, photo time:



Birthday Traditions - raising the Danish flag



Sunrise over my hometown - Roskilde



TIVOLI!!!



Restaurants



Chinese Pantomime Theatre



Pirate Ship! - It's a restaurant/bar

Trippy Jesus

My ipod is being a dick and not wanting to upload any photos I try to send off of it so pictures from the football game might be forever stuck on it unfortunately. I'll keep trying though since there were some pretty awesome shots on that thing.

All the best,

JP

What would you say about having a third?

Friday night saw many things that kinda shocked me. The campus pride organization planned to a trip to go out clubbing that night which I happily joined in to. About a dozen of us hung out beforehand at one of the houses and had a few beers. A freshman who I met last semester that kinda had a thing for me was also there and did a creepy "stare from across the room" thing during our time there. No mas. Around 11:30 we head out in a cab armada. Friday night is 18+ night which means there were plenty of college students along with a few older guys who were creeping around a bit.

I danced with the group of people from my school for a while until one of the guys, a junior, started getting really touchy-feely. He claims he was drunk but I think he was just saying that; he's a bad liar. He asked me to go to the bar with him so I agreed. He ended up spilling the entire drink on the way back to the dance floor so we went to the ATM to get some more money. In the line he kept trying to get with me, nudging and grabbing until eventually I gave in. We ended up dancing/hooking up on the dance floor for the rest of the night. He's shorter than me and cute enough but wasn't a really good kisser or dancer for the matter. A little while later he asked me what I would say to going back to his place with one of the other guys from my school. First, my experience with guys still isn't anything to write home about so any 3-way/group thing still freaks me out. I tried to say that it would be a bit out of my comfort zone and put the question to rest but he kept trying to convince me it was a good idea. I didn't agree.

Around 2:30 we couldn't find where everyone else was so we left the club. During the cab ride he kept trying to grab me everywhere which made me uncomfortable and I think the cab driver as well; I tipped him extra for that reason. We went back to his place where I had planned to just get him to bed or mess around a little before heading out. Well, that didn't happen, and my mind, with it's knowledge of my long dry spell, took over. Unfortunately, it was rather sloppy to say the least. He wasn't terribly packing either. I ended up spending the night and woke up to a trash truck making a ruckus outside around 10. I ended up heading out back to my dorm soon after. I can only imagine what would have happened if I didn't say no to his suggestion. Honestly, the idea of having another guy there is intimidating to me.

So yeah, it was a fun, albeit awkward night. I don't know if I'll be going clubbing without close friends again though, it's so much better with them.

All the best,

JP

Tease

Hey guys, it's been a while but I'm glad to report things are going pretty smoothly here in DC. With classes in full swing, I've finally gotten a better picture of the professors I'm dealing with and also the classes themselves. I've come to realize that I really enjoy marketing and macroeconomics a lot. Marketing is really interesting and fun subject that, while being bashed by many business schoolers, is actually one of the best courses I've taken so far. The professor also could be gay as I've discussed with one my my friends who is in my class. He's also not half bad looking haha. Macro has also surprised me with how fun it's been. Compared to microecon, which was the bane of my existence last year partially due to a lacklustre professor, macro is infinitely more understandable and practical. My finance class has also been really cool so far. Considering I'm planning for finance to be one of my majors, I really hoped that I like the class, and I'm glad to report I am. My professor is kind of crazy, he likes to bash on state schools in a joking manor but he weaves in personal experiences and actually makes participating easy. Somehow, that man has made calculating the values of annuities, perpetuities and Future values...fun. Scary. As for my other classes, International trade has been relatively smooth; it's difficult to say the least but I'm grasping the concepts in class. German has been German, I found out that I likely won't be able to take German while abroad so this might be my last semester which is sad but not devastating as ending French was for me a few years back.

Aside from classes, school life has been pretty good. Friend drama has been playing out as normal with friend/enemy relations being formed and broken as often as the sun rises and sets. Honestly, I try to avoid it as much as possible since I have better things to do than get involved in crap that will only hurt me in the long run. I've also kept up with my resolution to go to the gym 3-5 times a week, mostly with the motivation of my friend Liz who comes with me. We just tell each other we need to be ready for shirtless volleyball on the front lawn once Spring comes around.

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This past Friday was the first day I actually made time to indulge myself in some well deserved me-time. After my class ended at 11, I took a nap and then around 2 went to the Washington Auto Show at the convention center. Last year was the first time that I missed the show since I started going when I was 10 so I was determined to go this time. The show was pretty good; there were a fair amount of concept cars out there but nothing really blew my mind except for a few. I sat in some of the few models that are brand new or that I'd been wanting to for a while, like the Audi S7, 2013 Lexus GS, Range Rover Evoque, and the Fiat 500. I even got to ride in a 500 in a handling course they set up in the convention center itself. It was really sick. Here's some pics from the show:

The Lexus LF-LC concept, probably the car I wanted to see most at the show. It's stunning

A Ford Concept

The Domestic makers

The Fiat 500 Gucci Edition. They took an already accessory type car, and made it even more of a fashion tool.

Last night I also went out clubbing for the first time this year. After pregaming at a friend's apartment, we grabbed a cab and went to to Towne, a gay club near Howard University and U-St in DC. I had never been to this club before but had heard good things so I was really excited to go. The place was surprisingly spacious and there were gogo dancers(!) The music was also really good. When I'm drunk it really like to dance, especially to more pop-type music with a good beat which they had plenty of. I hung out with a group of my friends for a while then started dancing with a few of the the other guys.

The first guy I danced with was from AU; he was also a sophomore and was dressed really preppy with a sweater over a shirt and tie which was strange but also kinda hot. We grinded for a while but then we started doing some crazy crap with his body undulating and moving in ways that I had never seen or experienced before. It was crazy and kind of intimidating, I even lost my balance once because of his moves. Long story short, he was a a boatload of fun. After that guy, I went back to my group and noticed a guy close by who kept looking over at me. He was really good looking, slightly taller than me, dirty blond hair, and beautiful, soft blue eyes. I eventually moved my way over to him and we introduced ourselves and chatted. He graduated from the school I'm currently attending in 2010 and also did the business school. He majored in International business and OPIM and even was involved in one of the top acapella groups on campus. He's from California where he works for Google now which is a company that I wouldn't mind working for too when I graduate. All in all, he had pretty much all the characteristics I look for in a guy, both physical and mental. We even danced for a while and before I left, I got the courage to ask for his number. We texted back and forth for a bit after I left the club too. What sucks is though is that I know in all likelihood I will never see him again. It was such a tease for life to deal me such a card. I talked to Liz about it and she said not to give up, that things happen for a reason and maybe our paths will cross again so hey, maybe I'll run into him in my travels one day. Viewed as a whole, Friday was a very solid day in my book.

On Saturday, I went home to spend an evening with Maria because her birthday is coming up. We spent a night relishing each other's company by seeing Beauty and the Beast in 3-D and getting Korean food. Seeing the movie made me realize how much I loved old Disney movies. They were surprisingly well made and had a great story and music. Yeah, the tickets were expensive but it was totally worth it. Last night also made me realize just how much I love living where I do. I know this whole "home is where the heart is" stuff is scoffed at, but really, when I do plan on settling down, my first stop would be to find a house back in Northern Virginia and raise my family there. It has everything I need and more. I think I will turn this into a full post soon even since it takes more than just this small paragraph to explain what I'm trying to say.

Alright, this is getting lengthy so I'm going to cut it here. I hope you have a properly lazy Sunday and a productive, drama-free week.

All the best,

JP

Dreamscape

I feel like I’m constantly in a dream-like state. It all seems fuzzy around the edges, the people, the feel of the wind on my skin, the sounds, everything feels dulled. I feel as if I'm not part of my life, but watching it play before me on a screen, vignetting and all for those photography inclined. The last two days came and went so quickly that barely anything has registered, yet in those two days yet so much has happened.

After my last class Thursday I went to walk around the neighborhoods surrounding campus for the first time since fall. I missed how tranquil it was, being able to have music quietly playing in my ears and taking in the brick row houses as the sun slowly sets. It was cold, but not an uncomfortable cold, but enough to keep you alert and let you know it really was winter. When I got back on campus, I laid down on a bench and just watched the sky change from blue, to navy and finally to black, it was about 6 when I finally went back inside. After dinner and going to the gym I found out I had made the first cut in the job I applied for, my interview is Sunday. I’m excited and nervous; I’ve never applied for a job before and I know I’m going up against people whose credentials and work experience far outpace mine. Another added stress is that I found out that Mark is one of my competitors for the job. He’s actually going for three jobs while I’m going for one. Hopefully we both get hired, but if I don’t, I probably will be disappointed but not crushed.

Thursday night we went out to the gay club for college night. It was a blast, Me, Mark, Maudry and a bunch of people from the first floor went and stayed from about midnight until 2. I danced with a guy who I recognized from campus but didn’t know the name of. He was cute and smelled like sex but he’s a senior. He’s a great dancer though haha, I got his name after we danced twice. As if the club itself wasn’t enough excitement for the night, when we left I thought I had lost my dorm and house key and had a panic for a while. When I got back to my room however I found my key, it turns out I had left it on my desk the whole time…fail.

I don’t have class Fridays so I just met people for breakfast this morning and ended up staying in the dining hall for two hours. My friend “A” had been trying to court Zach for quite some time and as usual he was there. A was worried though that Zach is uninterested or just really oblivious since she had been obviously very blatant about her intentions yet he doesn’t seem to be responding. Honestly I just think he’s a bit too intense with his studies and his love life has been put on the far back burner. That afternoon I went for another walk today but I cut it short since it was just too cold and windy today for another long walk. Tonight I spent the night with people from the 4th floor and we played Kart and watched The Hangover. It was good but while everyone was laughing I merely smiled for the most part. The humour in that movie just didn’t really appeal to me for some reason.

I don’t know what the rest of the weekend holds in store. Me and a few friends are going to Baked and Wired for a dinner and cupcake outing tomorrow night and I don’t know what I want to do for the night. Sunday will probably be spent excited/terrified until 2:40 when I have my interview. I want this job so bad! I must stay relaxed, I don’t think they want to hire a panicked mess which I am on the inside right now.

I think what’s causing me all this restless energy is just that it’s too much stuff all at once. Everything is moving so fast yet I don’t feel it. Being able to grasp the idea of time was one thing I always held on dearly to. It keeps be grounded, organized and comfortable, now that some of it has been removed I’m restless and anxious.

Nevertheless, it’s time to step up to the plate; problem is, I don’t know if I’m ready even though I know I need to be.

Wish me luck,

JP

Drag Night at the Gay Club

I had never done clubbing before, unless your definition of a club is one of those programs after school where you debate current events; rather, I had never gone to an actual club club before, the kind with music, dancing and all sorts of energy. The main reason was that I wasn’t 18 yet, most clubs won’t let anyone under that age even enter, so on Saturday, the day after my birthday, me and a group of friends decided to go clubbing.

I imagined my intro into clubbing to be a gentle one, observing form the sidelines at first, drink in hand, but I turned out to be wrong, it was a gay club, and it was drag night. Oh yes.
My friends and I (three girls and two straight guys (well, at least one of them)) went to go see The Last Exorcism first, it’s a horror flick and it made absolutely no sense but I’ll go into that another day. We then hopped onto a bus and headed down to the club. Saturday night is drag night as we soon found out, and when we walked in, that is exactly what we were greeted by, drag queens. One was singing when we entered, then one did a comedy routine (I still don’t know if she was an actual she) and one final creepy one came out and walked around the floor and caressed my face as she walked by, I guess that was my “welcome”.

We got there rather late, around 12:30 and the music started up again around 1. The music was mostly a bunch of house techno and a lot of remixes of top 40 songs which made me really happy. Unlike most dances I went to, there was absolutely no grinding music which made me really, really happy, just good dancing music and I moved like there was no tomorrow. There was a fog machine which made the lasers and lights stream across the room mid-air and a strobe light and foam “snow” which blew my mind whenever they turned it on. It was seriously one of the most memorable effects in my life.

While we were there, the crowd was mostly 20 somethings with a few older guys there though I’m pretty sure I was the youngest person in the entire building. There were many women there too, and straight women, we figured that a gay club was the perfect place for women to go to and dance and have fun without having creepy men hit on them, for the most part that is. My friend Maudry had a creepy guy start dancing behind her and had to retreat behind our cover to escape him. That is why we go in groups.

Because we were under 21, we got big letters drawn on our hands in black ink to show we couldn’t have alcohol so we got some soda at the bar ($3 for a cup) at around 1:30. And just for full disclosure, I know to never accept a drink from a stranger and to watch the bartender just in case. We talked about how much for fun this was compared to going to parties and how we noticed pretty much everyone there was there to have fun and let loose.

By the time we left around 2:30, we were all hungry so we stopped by Five Guys for some fries and to get something to drink before heading back to campus where we had a giant group Lady Gaga study session until about 5AM (We’re weird, I know. But this was just the start of it). When I got back to my dorm, my roommate and one of our joint friends were in our room, they too had a crazy night by the looks of it. My roommate was giddy to say the least and was swaying when he walked, he would have failed a sobriety test within 3 seconds.

Me and our joint friend (who too was drunk, but less so I believe) were trying to calm my roommate down who by then kept saying he was hungry. I made him some ramen, cookies and milk and Pringles and made sure he drank plenty of water. He had also hurt himself when he hopped a fence by messing up his left leg and scratching up his arm which me and my friend also tended to via some Neosporin. I watched over him until 6:30 when I convinced him to go to bed. By this time, I had been awake for about 21 hours and was quite tired myself, I was running off the adrenaline from the club. I fell asleep around 6:45AM and eventually woke up around noon. I’m used to getting less than optimal amounts of sleep so it wasn’t too hard for me.

So there went my very eventful night, horror movie, clubbing and nursing my roommate, I probably have a good enough story to tell my grandkids.

School has started up again and that means getting back to work. I’ve managed to cope relatively well, I’ve gotten decent amounts of sleep, I’m not too stressed and with the lack of crew to eat up 4 hours of my day, I’ve made great progress in spreading out work. I even made time to join my college’s Pride club and Club Fencing whose first practice was today. It was actually really fun and interesting, we learned the basic stance and advancing and retreating. We’ll be learning more on Wednesday when our next meeting will take place. Also, the club co-president is hot! He’s a junior and wears these really fitted shirts that show off his defined chest and flat and likely abtastic stomach. Yum!

Anyways, I’m going to go back and do some more work. I hope you have an excellent week!

All the best,

JP